The Thanksgiving Feast

Mac and I attended the kids' annual Thanksgiving Feast today. Of course, it was Holland's first year as an enrolled student, but she knew the drill. We didn't actually eat with Holland because her scheduled feast time was 10:30, and we just couldn't work up an appetite for turkey and dressing a la school cafeteria that early. We waited and ate with Grey at 11:30. It wasn't that bad. In fact, Mac said with the economy as it is, we might eat lunch up here a couple of times a week. Hard to beat $1.85 a meal. She made her own vest and headband. We didn't get any pictures with Grey. It's his 4th feast and besides he didn't have a vest or a headband.

After school, Holland prepared Mac a Thanksgiving feast of her own. It was eerily similar in taste and texture to the school's feast.

I Do So Love Christmas....

That's right, I put my Christmas tree up, and I did it last week.

The Cheetah's 2008 Season

Well, I waited until the end of the season to brag on Grey and his run as a Cheetah. I think that shows great restraint on my part. You're welcome.

He had a such a good coach this time. He's always had nice coaches, but Coach "A" actually knew stuff about soccer. Turns out that can make a difference. Their record was 7-1. It's refreshing to pull for a team that actually wins. (Sorry, Bulldogs.)

I am going to brag one more time (without any apology). Out of the 30 goals the team scored during the whole season, Grey scored 20 of them.

Oh yeah!, Uh huh!, That's right! You da' man! Grey "Crazy Eyes" Davis

Holland and Deanna give the sign for "victory."

Halfway To 70

That's right. Saturday was my birthday. Feel free to wave your hands in the air....
For the curious, I am 35....halfway to 70. I had a great day! We went to Grey's soccer game, which they won 3-0, ate lunch at Panera (where I am an honorary employee)with some of my girlz and went to a beaded jewelry place to make ourselves some jewelry. I opened some great gifts from friends and family. Everyone seems to know me well, because all the gifts were dead-on. Then I went to eat with Mac and the kids. If it didn't mean I would have to get older, I would have a birthday once-a-month.

Read the hands, baby.


Grey wanted me to put a little gangsta in it. Very little.

Val and I pick the beads for our jewelry. As I usually do, I spent my time soicalizing and being completely indecisive about what to make.

The Beaded Ladies

Sheri, Birthday Girl, Valarie, Darla

Vote!!

The kids had a mock presidential election at school today. It was set up as close to the real thing as possible to teach the kindergarten through 5th graders what it's like and how important it is to vote. I volunteered to help with the kindergarten classes.
Even at that age, most of the kids knew who they wanted to vote for, although I did have one write-in for George Washington. And if they were undecided, I didn't influence them at all, although I really wanted to say, "which one reminds you of Santa Claus?" But I didn't.


The Voting Screen. They clicked on their choice. I told them, "congratulations, you just voted for the President of the United States," and then I gave them an "I Voted" sticker and sent them back to their teacher.

Holland proudly voted for John McCain.

Halloween 2008

Grey is............Indiana Jones

Dorothy and Indy

We stopped at the barber shop for Elvis to get a quick sideburn trim.

The Leisinger-Presley family

Holland and her friend, Avery

My Hair-Bear

Pumpkin Carving, Part 2

So, remember how the children and I carved pumpkins last week. (Feel free to scroll down for a refresher.) Apparently, if you are going to carve pumpkins a week and a half before Halloween, it's not a good idea to let them sit on a wrought iron bench, in the afternoon sun, in 80 degree temps. They don't fare well. After 3 days of baking in the Houston sun, we had pumpkin pie or a version of it. They went straight to the curb for the trash pickup. I will say it's the closest I have ever come to baking.
Anyway, we carved some new pumpkins, and when I say "we", I mean the children picked out the design, wished me good luck, and sat down on the sofa to watch a Disney Halloween movie. I liked when Grey said, "Oh, I like yours, Mom." Hmmm..... I believe they are technically all mine. Not that I'm keeping score or anything.

Holland's cat

All aglow.

Grey's pirate ship

All aglow

My trick or treat pumpkin

I lost a crucial portion of the letter "c", so you are going to have to use your imagination.

Halloween Preview 2008

She had a Birthday/Halloween Party to attend, so she was able to give the costume a dry run.

Not Your Mama's P.E.

Grey's PE teachers have been coming up with creative ways to get the kids interested in physical activities and also getting the parents involved. This fall they taught the 3rd grade the dance from Michael Jackson's "Thriller". Then they had the "Boogie Ball" where they all performed that dance and a couple of other dances. It was fun to watch.
I don't know about you, but when I took P.E., it was nothing I got excited about. Of course, our PE teachers weren't young, in shape, creative, and motivational (in a positive way not a fear-invoking way.) Generally, they wore tight shorts, a whistle and wielded a clipboard. And later in the day, they taught Health class and Driver's Ed in the summer. Many a donut run we made for Coach Hendrix the summer I took driver's ed. As we took our permit test, we watched him flirt with Marie Osmond (she was a dead ringer for her) at the DMV. We learned so much.

We filmed the event, but during the basketball dance, Grey accidentally pegged a girl in the head when he was trying to pass the ball. To avoid a personal injury lawsuit, said footage will not be posted. Alright, alright, I haven't figured out how to download from the video camera to the computer, but I'm working on it.

Pumpkin Carving Skillz

While Mac was gone to North Carolina for market, the kids and I drowned our sorrows in some pumpkin-carving.

Grey did a great job carving his pumpkin with very little assistance from me. Naturally, he chose one of my least favorite things of all, a spider.

Let me just say when it comes to pumpkin-carving, Holland has got management written all over her. She gets what she wants without ever getting her hands dirty.

The Boo Crew

Booing has become an annual tradition for us. (If we do anything for more than 2 years in a row, it is considered a tradition for us.) The kids always like this one. Anyway, let me refresh you on how we "do the boo".
1. Tape "you've been boo'd sign on door".
2. Leave bag of candy and goodies at door.
3. Ring door bell.
4. Run Away!
Now a couple of weeks ago, we did our 1st 2008 boo run. Mac and Grey tag teamed it while Holland and I laid low in the getaway car. Let me say that the execution was shear perfection. Clearly we had brought our A game.

So, a couple of weeks later when we planned our next boos, I thought they would go just as smoothly. At our first stop, we let Grey work this one by himself. So, off we send him while we wait in the car a couple of houses down. As he's running to hide behind the neighbor's truck, I happen to notice something. I said, "Um, Mac, he's still holding the bag of candy." To which Mac says, "well, he's clearly not cut out for a life of crime." Here's the problem with skipping the all important rule #2. By ringing the doorbell and running away with no chocolate left at the door, you've only managed to irritate the booee. Not good. So we had to send him back with the candy. However, they caught us driving away from the scene. I peeled out in hopes that they wouldn't get our tag number or make and model of the car, plus I just wanted to peel out.

Our second boo was very successful until I felt the need to drive by the house to make sure they got the bag. Unfortunately, they were still at the door, and as I drove through the cul-de-sac with the headlights off, they waved. Nothing worse than them waving at you. We cut our losses and went home. Hopefully if we spend the rest of the year working on our boo skillz, we'll do better next season.

The Boo Crew


Oh yes, this is much more gangsta.

I'm so proud.

Date With Daddy

Holland loves to spend time with Mac, preferably with Grey and I as far away as possible. She likes to have her Daddy's undivided attention. So they took in the movie, Beverly Hills Chihuahua.

I love this picture, because this one shows just how much she looks up to and loves her daddy.

The Ripstick

A boy and his "much desired" birthday gift.

An emergency room visit waiting to happen.

If you listen closely, you can almost hear the ambulance sirens.

Sticking to something more his speed.

Happy 9th Birthday, Grey Coleman Davis!

I'm #1!

2nd Birthday
(Already working on basketball)


Too cool to just be 3

4th Birthday. It was a bowling party. What gave it away?

5th Birthday

6th Birthday. No more cakes. From here on, it's all about the Big Cookie.

7th Birthday

8th Birthday

I can't believe he's 9!

Next year: double digits. That's when you know you've arrived.