Meet Carl

This weekend we welcomed a new family member into the O'Brien household.
Carl, an October Glory Red Maple!!!How exciting, I know!!! We've been wanting a tree for a while and I LOVE maples and I love fall...so why not a striking red tree for our backyard. After a short/long trip to Lowe's, Joe dug Carl a little home and set him right in.

Planter Joe

Our constant supervisor, Ryker.

Welcome Carl! We love you!
The very first thing we've planted at our new house!

Welcome Baby Carl!

Carl has joined the family! Welcome Baby Carl. More updates coming soon!

Cut!

Today I'm getting a haircut. I liked my latest haircut...way back in May/June...and I'm thinking of going that route again, perhaps just a little edgier if my hairdresser understands that.

However, I'm up for suggestions if you have any. The big cut is scheduled for 4:30!

We're ready for our grand entrance!

Alright folks! It's here! Our very own grand entrance...well, it's grand to me!

I gave the idea to Joe. We went to the wood store and bought our materials. We hunted for the perfect hardware and paint colors...

Ladies and gentlemen, I present the new Casa de O'Brien Grand Entrance!
I've also included the slide show below so you can see some of the steps we took! You all must come by and see it in person some time!

A bit of inspiration...

So, all it took for my to find my inner seamstress (yeah right) was the announcement that my buddies Lydia and Jon were going to have a baby Caleb! That started me on a roll to create a few little baby gifts and other crafts.

Here are a few that made a recent appearance at Lydia's shower:

A few little balls for a precious little boy. Soft and squishy to mouth on and and get his pitching arm into shape!

A swaddle blanket for the little man, complete with zoo animals.

A contoured burp cloth.

A lovey blankie complete with little tabs, perfect for a curious Caleb.

A few other burp cloths that just had to be made...All Boy!

Lydia's favorite print of the season.

Circles and dots...just too darn fun!

Evacuees, Roadtrips and Woodworking

It's been an interesting past few weeks at the O'Brien house.

We had our first ever hurricane evacuees come and stay with us at our new house, and no it wasn't my parents! It was my good friend Dina and her troop of dogs...CieCie, Jango and Frenchie. We looked like a traveling circus when we took these kids out for a walk - a little rat terrier (all of 5 lbs.), a huge great Dane (all of 150 lbs), a lovely black lab AND a Ryker dog! We at the Casa de O'Brien do not descriminate on against race, size, age or gender! No sir-ree-bob!But, we had a great week besides the ever-lurking feeling of impending doom you have when your best friend's house may be destroyed and her husband is out driving around in it because he's a sherrif! But, God took care of our nerves and our families keeping mine safe in Kingwood and Dina's relatives safe in South East Texas.

Her parents really got into the spirit of evacuation and took their little selves to Hawaii. They claim it was for their 30th anniversary, but we'll just wait and see what Mr. Jack turns in to the IRS when it comes time for deductions! =)

We enjoyed catching up, crafting, shopping, FISHING and cooking. Dina, though the circumstances were a bit stressful, I'd love to do it again! Even with all the dogs!

In the midst of that, Dina and I took a rockin' roadtrip to the hoppin' town of Buffalo! Buffalo you may ask? Yes, I like to dub it our "Ugandan Missian Adventure." But actually, it wasn't. We had a rendesvue with my parents to deliver to them one mighty large generator, 3 5-gallon gas tanks, 2 power cords and a partridge in a pear tree. You see, my poor parents had been sitting in the dark since the night of Hurricane Ike, and my mom decided she wanted to see where she was going. It was an interesting journey as we got to see tons of cars also hauling generators and gas cans south, convoys of linemen and their work trucks and tons of cop!

Our initial meet-up was supposed to be in Centerville, home of the famous Woody's Truckstop, but my dad called and they were JAMMED full...cars lining ever side of the road east and west of the highway, so that's when we decided to stop and wait in Buffalo. We waited in a 4-car-deep line to fill up our car and our three gas cans, met some other very nice evacuees and waited for my parents. All in all, a successful trip and it was fun to hang out with the parents and hear their survival story over lunch!

That about concluded our excitment. Since then, we've been filling our time with things around the house. I finished up my many sewing projects for Baby Caleb to bring to his momma's shower on Saturday and Joe and I have been working hard on our entry table. It alreay looks awesome! I can't wait for the final product!!

Our next adventures?? Dog training and marriage building classes! I'll let you know which one I use the leash in most! ;)

And we're back...

We had a great Labor Day get-away with the O'Brien family to Oklahoma last week. I think we're setting up for a tradition here, as last year we took a trek down to Florida too. I think I can handle that...a fun vacation each year...I'll try to survive.

We started with a slight detour to Arkansas...we hit three states in one day coming from Texas...that's saying something.
We had a nice cabin (aka - large home) in the woods.
We went on hikes (errr...death marches) up winding roads with speeding duely trucks passing us by.
We attempted to go canoeing, but were denied because it was...ahem...raining. Nice.
We went to Wal-Mart - as any good trek to podunkville should offer. Joe purchased a John Deere tractor poster that we all worked on and may soon be showcased in our very own garage!
We went fishing in the rain a lot. We did not catch anything.
We finally succeeded in renting a boat, and had quite a good time. We even caught fish this time! Most of the guys got a nibble, Jim finally brought one out, AND....I CAUGHT ONE TOO!!! My very own bass!

We made it back and relaxed...a bit...before Joe finished up the last little bits of a comic book table he'd been working on for a friend. This has been our big baby in the garage for quite some time. Joe had to come up with the design, we went to the hardwood store to get the goods (awesome by the way), started the cutting, the re-cutting, the gluing, the biscutting, the staining, the other million pieces of hardware and glass to buy and we finished it up on Sunday.
I had just put the final swipes of furniture polish on when our 'client' came to check it out. He liked it! Success! Just so you feel included, here's the finished product!Next up in the O'Brien workshop is an entryway table just for our little house! It will looks something like this Pottery Barn one, and I'm even going to try my hand at distress painting it. It involves a blowtorch! Anyone want to play with me??I think that's about it...finishing up some baby crafts for Mr. Caleb and his momma, starting back to subbing and doing whatever else! Most importantly, waiting in excited anticipation for Fall and my favorite Country Living issue, October!!!

Who'd a thought?

So I spent some time with my grandma yesterday after I took her to the doctor, and let me tell you, she's a fun one.

It's always fun to hear stories from back when. And yesterday's included a few about her college days. She used to live in Harlingen with her mom and aunts and brother and when it was time to start college at TCU, she took the train! The train? I didn't even know there was a train that would do that.

She'd get on the milk train in the Valley that would stop at all the small towns along the way delivering milk till she got to Houston to switch to the Zephyr. On one such ride, she remembered that they played the Chattanooga Choo Choo the whole way there it seemed. All the boys and girls were getting up in the isles and dancing. It just so happened that she was sitting with this boy she dated from home who did not dance, and when she was asked my this SMU (pronounced sm-you) boy to dance, she accepted. Well hometown boy was not happy, but she didn't care...she'd rather dance!

She the next year or the middle of that year when the war started it was a totally different story on the trains. It was hard to get a seat because the service men were always given seats first. On her way back to TCU the conductor asked her if she'd be willing to stand the whole way to Houston. She said she'd sure try, cause she needed to go! So she stood for quite a while, then sat in the isle on her old typewritter box. Finally about 30 minutes before they got to their destination, some corporal asked if she'd like to sit down. UM, YEA! You'd think they'd be more chivalrous, but I guess they were already doing their duty fighting in the war.

Grandma remarked that TCU became a ghost town with the only boys really remaining were preacher boys. Most of the professors were gone and the newly established Business School was hurting. For one of her accounting classes, they stuck the girls with this ancient retiree, whose mouth was always blue from poor circulation and heart trouble. Turns out, the guy had a heart attack in their class! (I'm sure that made for an interesting lecture!)

So Grandma and her roommate decided they were done with TCU. They were in charge of their education and they wanted the best. TCU was good, but it's business school just wasn't up to snuff in those days and with a lack of qualified professors because of the war. SO, they decided to transfer on down to Austin the next year to their WELL established school.

Gone were the days of the train though. The bus was faster to take to Austin. Although, I'm not the biggest fan of UT, I'm glad she went. Because that's where she met my granddad!

Dancing in the isles of a train. Seems straight out of a Hollywood movie.

All I had was a long car wide with Mr. Bear strapped in the seat next to me and country music.

A Good Read...

As many of you know, I am a big fan of sci-fi books. It is a trend I picked up from my dad at a very young age and still continues. There's something exciting in dreaming up new worlds, new tools, new species - and always - new problems.

The past few weeks I've discovered the Ender series by Orson Scott Card and have VERY much enjoyed them.

The first book in the series started out as a short story, but was fleshed out to make sense of the 2nd book Card already had in mind. "Ender's Game" deals with Ender Wiggin, a Third, a genius, a small little boy, who is whisked away to Battle School to see if he is 'the one' who will help the humans rid the galaxy of 'The Buggers,' the first alien species that has shown human-like intelligence with more advanced star travel and weapons. It follows Ender's trials at Battle School with his peers, his commanders, the training games, and most importantly, himself.

"Ender's Game" makes the reader really ponder - who gets to decide what is best? Is it ok to sacrifice the one for the many? How far can we push a person? Can we really know what our actions should/must be without knowing the truth? Can we know the full truth before it's too late?

The second book, "Speaker for the Dead," follows Ender and his sister, Valentine, in their travels across space and time...teaching, speaking for the dead and trying to forget Earth. In a twist of fate, Ender is called to a planet that boasts the only other human-like aliens since the Buggers, and Ender must once again decide whether their fate is life or death.

Many religious ideals are exlpored in this book, as well as 'the human condition,' whether scientific standard practices are helps or hurdles, what makes a family - what is the depth of love?

There are two other books that round out the quartet of Ender, as well as a few added later. I hope to get around to read those as well, because I like the character. I find it intreaging that he can be viewed as the devil himself, a priestly figure of knowledge, a father, a friend, a lover. Nothing is as we are so eager to seem it to be. If nothing else, these books ask us to take a step back, seek the truth and go from there.

All that in a silly sci-fi book, who'd a figured?

I Have a One-Year-Old!

That's right folks! Our little red puppy turns the Big #1 today. It's so crazy...it seems like so long ago when we got him from Operation Kindness and he was just a little guy at 6 months old!

If you couldn't tell from the blog posts, this little guy has found a quite cozy place in our hearts - as well as developed a taste for blinds and plastic objects.

But today is your day Ryker Stryker! Puppers! Pupster! Bunny! Ploopers McGee! (he has a lot of names!) Thank you for the kisses, the ever-eventful walks, the constant entertainment, the perfect nap buddy, watching out for squirrels, possums, birds, dogs, cats...well anything! You're fun, and we like you!

Happy Birthday Ryker! We love you!

Colorado Adventure

Here's a few of our pictures from our Colorado Journey. We had a great time visiting with Brianna and Matt and Dutch the cat. Our time was filled with flying, foraging for food at all the Subway sandwich shops we came upon (if you say you're supposed to be open, you SHOULD BE OPEN!), hiking, catching our breath, hiking some more, baseball, waiting for the rain to stop to watch baseball, baseball, rafting, saving people from drowning, rafting again, museum fun and flying some more!

Hope you enjoy...


(all for you Jamie!)

Just one word...

The Rules: Answer the questions using only one word. Then tag three others.

1. Where is your cell phone? DESK
2. Your significant other? LOVING
3. Your hair? BLONDER
4. Your mother? ENCOURAGING
5. Your father? ENTERTAINING
6. Your favorite thing? SLEEPING
7. Your dream last night? LONG
8 Your favorite drink? COKE
9. Your dream/goal? PARENT
10. The room you’re in? BRIGHT
11. Your hobby? PHOTOGRAPHY
12. Your fear? SNAKES
13. What do you want to be in 6 years? TRAVELER
14. What you’re not? INFORMED
15. Muffins? APPLE
16. One of your wish list items? CAMERA
17. Where you grew up? TRIANGLE
18. The last thing you did? CHAT
19. What are you wearing? PJs
20. Favorite gadget? COMPUTER
21. Your pets? COMICAL
22. Your computer? SLOWING
23. Your mood? SULLEN
24. Missing someone? YES
25. Your car? HOT!
26. Something you’re not wearing? SHOES
27. Favorite store? TARGET
28. Like someone? YEP!
29. Your favorite color? GREEN
30. When is the last time you laughed? MINUTE
31. Last time you cried? JULY

I tag: Emily, Brianna and Leah

Home Sweet Home

Seems we might have a bit of the luck o' the Irish after all.

One day last week, I happened to venture out for a walk with Ryker while Joe was working in the garage and this is what i found! I don't think Ryker saw it, but I sure did. I didn't find a pot of gold, however a found a treasure of beauty!
Thank you God for your grace and gifts!

Opossum, my possum

Last night was not a restful night. Around 1 o'clock, after you finally got to bed and dreams were fast approaching, I heard our dog start to make some interesting sounds.

For some reason, Ryker likes to barf. Ok, maybe he doesn't like to, but he seems to do it a lot. Many times it is to get rid of some plastic he found to eat, and I am oh, so happy that he decides to rid himself of that instead of digest. However some times he just...throws up.

So he was making his tail-tale signs last night, so I quickly ushered him outside where he promptly started chowing down on grass, leaves, what-have-you.

WHEN...all of the sudden he went a little ballistic on the grill. Joe called him to come back and Ryker became even more determined. A few seconds passed and a tiny hairy thing LAUNCHED itself from the grill. It was a baby possum!!! IIICCKKKKKK!!!!!!Ryker, being a dog, thinks this is the best thing ever! Joe and I being humans, think ICK! again and begin to worry about rabies, bites and worst of all...MOMMA Possum.

Ryker toys with it a bit, gets it into the grass...and yep, you guessed it...the little guy 'played possum.' Meanwhile Joe and I are calling franticly to Ryker to leave the darn thing alone and come back in the house...because really, if there's baby, there's bound to be momma.

He FINALLY decides he'll leave his new toy, although he's not sure Joe has his priorities straight. We usher puppy inside...where we wait for the momma to come out and also see to make sure that the baby isn't already dead...just mostly dead, or playing dead. And yep, the baby starts to ever so slightly inch towards the sidewalk, raise it's head...and by that point convinced it's ok, we go back to bed.

Dogs!

THEN, around 4 in the morning...Joe adjusts and sends his 30 oz. water cup flying between the night stand and the bed. Ugh...should we just get up now? Really, what's the deal??

Hope your night was more restful than ours!

Oh, Sew Crafty...

(A.K.A. - we all have to start somewhere)

Over the past few days, the craft bug has hit me. And I broke out the sewing machine that my friend who shall remain nameless for her own safety has let me borrow.

I first started off with a t-shirt for my favorite new two-year-old for her birthday. This one I did by hand because I wanted to, and because it was probably safer. I am really happy with how it came out and I think she was too! (well she was, two, oh, you get it...)
Then I thought this morning, I am tired of losing my cell phone in my big tote that I have been using this summer, so I decided to make it a little tote of it's own I can attach either on the strap or the zipper inside. It's lined with a fun polka-dot fabric on the inside.

Next, my friend mentioned she needed a glasses case for her sun glasses. I said, let me try! I NEED the practice. So this is what I came up with - complete with a nifty ribbon to attach where needed. Hope it works!

Hip Hip Horay for Journalistss!

I can certainly attest to not always being the best proofer on the block. The problem usually creeps in when you've stared at the same block of text for a week or more. However, I do feel slightly vindicated by the article I read about the little New Hampshire paper pictured below.
To note, the editor did acknowledge the quote the next day, saying "for the record: We sure feel silly."

That's all right. We all need a bit of silly. =)

Death to Mr.Bear

It was a sad day last evening. We lost a dear friend. Mr. Bear experienced an untimely death between the hours of 5-6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 23rd. What follows are some amazing on-the-scene photos taken from our Ace reporter AllStar O'Brien.

Parents beware; what follows may not be suitable for young eyes.

This was my first glimpse of the savage beast. I was very afraid, which resulted in a rather shaky photograph.

The carnage continued...Mr. Bear never had a chance.

Alas, we come to the end of Mr. Bear. Strewn about like a common play toy. Limbs mangled. Entrails missing. It was a horrid site.

I was able to catch the beast in one last image as he surveyed his work with a crafty grin before he slunk away back into his lair. I tell you dear readers, it is a site I will long remember. Farewell Mr. Bear. Farewell friend.

July Fun...

So for the month of July, we've already done a few fun things...

1. Joe brought me flowers. No reason besides he loves me. (and I think that's the best reason of all.) Aren't they awesome.2. Addison July Jazz - Joe and I met Jennifer and Jamie for a cool evening of jazz. We camped out with our picnic blankets, basket, hot and fresh pizza and awesome Central Market Cupcakes. A fun time was had by all. We will be returning in August for some symphony sounds if you would like to join us!3. Ryker now answers the door for me! Dogs are awesome. Unwanted solicitors - just pretend you're not here and let the dog bark at them through the door and window! Works like a charm! Here's my dog-wonder in his official uniform...he's a man in blue, er, teal...4. I escaped jury duty. Enough said.

Just a few things...here's hoping for a lot more!

This Time Next Week

So let me just say I am super excited about next Friday. You may ask why, other than the simple fact that it is Friday, and who doesn't like a Friday. Well, I shall tell you.

It is time for our not-so-annual Roomie Reunion!
In college I had the delightful pleasure of moving every year to a new home, but along the way I was able to find some wonderful 'bosom friends,' if I may quote the great Anne Shirley. With a the last season or two filled with weddings, babies and moves, we haven't been able to meet up as we would have liked, but that's all going to change on FRIDAY!

We're heading to Waco to rendezvous with Karen and Baby Ian and we're hitting the ground running...movies, museums, mischief and lots of Common Grounds. I'm sure there will be many a late night chat, possible hair dying, sweets devoured and wonderful time spent with wonderful friends.

RR '08 here we come!

NKOTB!!!!

OMG! Can you believe this!!! New Kids on the Block are back!



Honestly, I don't know if this is good or creepy, but I really couldn't believe my eyes when I saw this on MTV flipping channels. Talk about a flash back. Enjoy and I'll get the brownies and cokes ready for our sleep-over in our New Kids sleeping bags, while we wear our t-shirts and listen to our tapes with our totally rad walk-mans. Go Old School!!

Good Things

There are so many good things happening this week, I'd just like to share a few...

1. HOMEMADE SUGAR COOKIES
I got out an unused-to-date cookbook with so many wonderful goodies, and I just felt compelled to make these simple cookies. They should be ready in about an hour...if you'd like to sample stop on by.
2. SWIMMING
My sister is house-sitting at the 'Big House' for the last time, as the home's super nice family is moving to Minnesota, BUT we get one last weekend to feel like we are rich and enjoy a great pool and a great kitchen over the 4th weekend.3. KABOOM TOWN!
This is one of the highlights of the year for me. If you know me at all, you know I am enthralled with fireworks (and yes, fire by itself, but that's for another day). We've started up a tradition by heading up to the world headquarters of O'Brien Engineering in Addison to enjoy a bit of food, the direct overhead fly-bys of the old war planes and then the evening's fireworks. LOVE IT!!! LOVE IT!!!!!
4. DEAR FRIENDS
One of my dearest friends, Brianna and her husband Matt (soon to be a dear friend too!) are headed into Dallas this weekend. I pretty much get to share all of the above with them and hopefully a lot more. This is my first time meeting Matt as life has gotten in the way of our visiting before now, but I'm sure we'll make up for lost time, right Matt?
5. MY PUPPY
Sorry, I'm a nerd. I'm still a happy new puppy mom, even if it's been 4 months or so. Heck, after you've waited 26 years, you get to be happy for quite a while, right?