I'm a cat magnet.

Apparently "cat person" is written on my forehead. All I did was sit down at my friend/neighbor's house, and I became Mittens' best friend. Then he passed out on my lap.
No wonder I don't have any clothes without cat hair on them.

The Return of the Trampoline

Holland got a trampoline for her 10th birthday. You may not recall this, but we did in fact have a trampoline before. I believe Grey received one for his 6th birthday with the enclosure and all manner of safety instructions. They loved it for awhile. Holland not as much since she was terrified of the backyard. But then the novelty wore off. No one wanted to go jump by themselves and it saw more action when we moved it around to mow.

So, we got rid of it.

And no one really cared........until

The neighbors behind us got one for Christmas a few years ago. Listening to all the screams of delight, watching heads pop up and down over the fence brought back on trampoline wistfulness. The campaign to get a new one was on.
I said no over and over, but alas I decided its just a season of life and worth it for the joy it brings them. And it will shut them up. (kidding)
So we have a new trampoline with no enclosure (sign your waiver on your way to the backyard) and they love it. All 3 of them.....

Texas does not respond well to the vacuum cleaner.

But then again there are times when I would like to hide from the vacuum cleaner.....preferably under the covers, too.

Bear

Holland has been growing her hair out for the last 2 years. She decided about 6 months ago that she would grow it long enough to be able to donate it. After a little research, we decided to donate it to Pantene's Beautiful Lengths. They make wigs free for children with cancer that have lost their hair.
A wonderful side benefit is that she now has 10 inches less of tangles. Thank goodness.

After punching in his lunch pin #, Grey asked the middle school cafeteria lady if he could get $10 cash back.

Texas

Since starting yoga, Texas has become very flexible.

From Bandit (and Paris) With Love

Grey

Proud to be a Longhorn. Although, it took some adjusting to see him in burnt orange and a Longhorn logo. He usually wears his Alabama sweatshirt to compensate.

Calvin and Hobbs

Holland

Trying basketball out for the first time. Yes, it was her idea.

Warning: Bragging Ahead

All those excessive talking check marks from elementary school have found their appropriate place..... in middle school theater class.

Elvis' Birthday 2013

You know we don't miss Elvis' birthday especially when there is a free meal on the line. Of course, we would have dressed up anyway.

We were on a break...the blog and me.

Well, I'm planning my blog comeback. I see your eyebrow raised in doubt, and quite frankly I don't blame you. But I have come to realize that I need the blog.  Otherwise, I'm never going to remember all these moments in our lives. And Facebook just isn't the avenue for chronicling these moments.

The next few or more posts will be in no particular order, cause that's how I roll sometimes, in no particular order.

April Fool's

Grey's favorite holiday of all is April Fool's. I dread it every year. This year he locked Mac's iphone and changed the passcode leaving "April Fool's" as his wallpaper. He set up a couch alarm that blew a horn when you sat down. ( Holland and her friend who spent the night got that one.) He decided to expand his prankdom this year when he put eviction notices on 6 of our neighbors' houses.

We may be moving soon or serving time.

Grey's Desk

This is a sign of genius, right?

Pajama Day

Remember how much fun it was to have "Pajama Day" at school.

Me, neither.

But at Holland's school, it's a fairly common occurance, just like having a sofa in your classroom.

Elvis' Birthday

One of our favorite Mexican restaurants celebrates Elvis' birthday every year. If you dress like Elvis or Priscilla, you get a free meal. A free meal if you dress like Elvis? Sign us up! Turns out my friend and workout buddy, Laurie and her family have done an Elvis float in the family-friendly parades in New Orleans and even the local parades so she and her fam were on board for Elvis night. The impersonator didn't come to our Chuy's location, but no matter. Our table more than made up for it. We sang happy birthday to other patrons, ourselves, passersby, basically anybody with a pulse was fair game. And oh, the pictures with customers, waitstaff, managers and even some of the kitchen staff. So much fun. It really looks like Mac has found his Elvis kindred spirits.

King Creole

It never ceases to amaze me just how far this Elvis gig will go. Mac mentioned to our Elvis cohorts that we should have an Elvis party. And a party we had. My friend, Laurie's family can throw a party. An Elvis/Mardi Gras party. It was so much fun!! Mac performed his 10 song set to the lights and the smoke machine. Beads, singing, dancing. And then there was the shrimp creole....so good that's Mac's new motto is, "Will perform for shrimp creole".

Don't be jealous.

My friend, Laurie and myself in front of the Mardi Gras tree, practicing our moves. This was sort of a blend of Elvis and Body Combat.

Me, Jeannie, Lisa, and Laurie

We managed to score a few beads. Helped that I kind of leaped in front of everybody a few times.

I'm a wee bit competitive.

The Elvis Crew

(Those who dressed the Elvis part.)

You've Inspired Me, Stacy

I'm resuming the blog. I find myself very reluctant to put much on Facebook. Just a little too public for my taste. That doesn't mean I'm going to put anything important or interesting on the blog, but at least you know what you are getting into when you visit. I promise not to put my grocery list on here or check in at the gas station unless I'm really desperate for material whcih is always a possibility.

Anyway I was part of a peer pressure group to get our friend, Stacy, to start a blog since she is moving off to London for 3 years. sniff sniff. But I feel I should at least put some effort into mine since I'm asking her to. So, you can address all thanks and complaints to her at poolsacrossthepond.blogspot.com.

December 23, A Davis "Hollyday"

When December 23rd rolls around, and there is no missing it since the countdown on the wipeboard starts right after Thanksgiving, we set aside the Christmas revelry and celebrate Holland's birthday. We wouldn't dare not. This year, Holly Bear turned 9. Our 3rd grader is full of song and dance! We often hear her upstairs belting our made-up tunes during her bathtime. She loves to write stories, read, and has such an imagination. She had her first short solo during her Christmas play at school. Normally, a little shy, the girl loves a stage and a microphone. She is truly a joy to us. (We reserve the right to revisit the word "joy" when she hits the teenage years.)

We woke her up with a pink- lit birthday sign.

Then we put the sign in the yard and kept it on with all the Christmas lights.

The ceremonial opening of the birthday loot first thing in the morning.

Her big gift from us was the Ipod Touch complete with an expert to give her hands-on training on how to operate it, what apps to get, etc. (thank goodness for Grey)

In keeping with the spirit of "Predator on a Shelf".

(Predator fom the 80's movie "Predator" that I got as a white elephant gift.)

(Instead of elf on a shelf, we had Predator on a shelf. "Predator" ate our elf and shows up in different places each morning in the elf's place.)

He wrapped himself as one of Holland's birthday gifts complete with Barbie head and birthday card.

The ballon does not indicate any affiliation with the Herman Cain campaign.

She had Gigi's cupcakes for her birthday instead of a cake. Her personal favorites in the right hand corner, the Grasshoppers.

For her birthday, she picked three friends from school and went to the Kemah Boardwalk.

(even number of girls = fun times, odd number = trouble when somebody is left out)

That kind of wisdom comes from experience.

Caroline, Holland, Madison, Tiffany

We had one non-rider, one "Grey has met his match" rider, and 2 nervous, but warmed up to the rides quickly, riders.

There's always a comedian in the group.

The shark is their school mascot.

Last ride of the day.

We were able to make bail.

We also went to the little aquarium and got to feed the stingrays. There were a few sharks in

there,too.

One of the great things about having your birthday 2 days before Christmas, there was hardly anybody was at Kemah. They didn't have to wait on any rides or even to feed and pet the stingrays. Holla.

Then we returned home and 2 of the 3 were able to spend the night, playing games and watching a movie. There were battlecries of "We're staying up til midnight!!!" They were all out by 10:30.

It was a great way to spend her birthday and we all had a blast!!

Until next year.....