To counteract those hairy legs below

Pay no attention to the waggling tail at the other end of the blanket.

I felt I needed to leave you with a much more pleasant image in your mind after that last post :) Really, I couldn't Bear it.

Bringing out the big guns

When we were kids my sisters would get me to kill all the spiders we found. But when I discovered this guy outside yesterday, even I had to bring out the big guns (that's you, Michael). I guess this is part of the "everything's bigger in Texas".

Click on the pics to see the gruesome details only if you are brave and not prone to nightmares ... and definitely not if you're like Paul who squeals like a little girl at the mere sight of anything with more than four legs.

His and Hers

Michael's office


Sharon's office
(Thanks, dad :)

Would His Royal Highness care for a spot of tea?

Bum's the word

For anyone who may consider me lucky to be a permanent passenger while Michael is driving (due to my inability to drive thanks to my rotten bum) - let me set the record straight. My role is neither passive nor privileged. In fact, while we're in the car, Michael doesn't even refer to me by name, much less by an affectionate nickname. Instead, he calls me OnStar.

This is because I am our full-time navigator, whether I want to be or not. Michael (and I love you, honey) is quite possibly the world's most easily distracted and uninvolved driver. If I don't take on the active roll of OnStar, we are likely to end up in Mexico or at the very least in some guy's driveway who's selling pigeon helmets or something on the wrong side of town.

Case in point: Last night we attempted to drive to the bank. Even though this is part of a very regular routine, I had to correct him and steer him in the right direction several times. "Don't forget, we're going to the bank," I gently remind him. "You should take this exit to get to the bank," I suggest in my calmest OnStar voice. "At the next intersection, turn right to go to the bank." Etcetera.

As we approached the familiar 10-story structure, I decided to get the deposit ready. Taking my eyes off the road for mere seconds, I endorsed the backs of the checks and put them in their envelopes, each and every subtle detail of my body language clearly signaling: "We're just about to pull up to the bank, I'll get everything ready to go." But when I looked up again, there we were, smoothly sailing right past the bank without so much as a gentle tap on the brakes.

"What happened?" I asked incredulously.

"Oops," he said, without remorse. "I was playing this new game I made up in my head called 'Bum or Pedestrian?' and I got distracted," was his explanation.

Turns out he had decided to look closely at each person walking down the road and determine if they were headed to the corner to ask for money, or just an unkempt person on a short journey. I couldn't help but admit, it was a surprisingly addictive game, so I forgave him for passing up the bank that we had spent the previous 20 minutes discussing, and spent the rest of the evening helping him decide: B.OR.P.? (shorthand for Bum OR Pedestrian?) as we completed our errands.

Around the outskirts of Austin, there is quite an epidemic of panhandling, so we were never lacking for potential contestants. However, the rules now state that if someone is actually holding a cardboard sign, or is engaged in a turf war with another bum over a lucrative corner, he or she is immediately disqualified.

You should try this game if you're driving through the city. Michael thinks it's worthy of a spot on David Letterman, kind of like "Will It Float?" or "Is This Anything?" So he spent the rest of the evening composing the theme song to the new hit comedy sketch and road-trip sensation, "Bum or Pedestrian?" Coming soon to a vehicle near you.

Mist or Bojangles

I continue to be blown away by these spectacular thunder storms here in Texas (fortunately not literally). Never in my life have I encountered such a phenomena of nature that ignites an emotion so powerful it brings a mist to your eyes, while simultaneously scaring the bojangles out of you. [Click for video]

The future's so bright ...

On your marks, get set ...

BUILD THAT HOUSE!

The first step in building your new home is, of course, advertising to all the neighbors that you will be building your new home.

First things first!

Two guys, a golden dog, and a black guitar

... three chords and the truth

Because you're never too old to stop, rock and roll

In honor of Parent's Day 2007, we inducted my mom and dad into the Matthew House Guitar Hero Hall of Fame.

This was the culmination of a wonderfully Lazy Sunday spent meandering through the Texas Hill Country, and dinner at the world-famous (ok, maybe only Austin-famous) Salt Lick BBQ Restaurant. As usual for this town, a 3-piece band began to play some old-time jazz and blues under the big shady oaks as the sun began its own lazy descent into the western sky. Families gathered around the outdoor picnic tables with their kids, their friends, and their ice chests full of beer. This was our first time dining in a "dry county". In other words, all patrons: Bring Your Own Booze. Can't argue with that!

The Wonderfully Wide World of Web

Perhaps the best thing I've seen online in a long time.

Downward Facing Dog

In an effort to get better sleep and just generally improve our well-being, Michael and I have started doing Yoga at night. Let me tell you, I have seen nothing funnier in my entire life. What is it about watching a man like Michael try to bend his body into different poses that inspires uncontrollable fits of laughter that leave my stomach begging for mercy?

Bear thinks it's pretty funny too. Which is why he tried to show us how he thinks it should be done. Now we call him Yoga Bear.

Hey Boo Boo, he's smarter than the average Bear!

Flying the Friendly Skies

It is nice to be home and back to our regular routine. I wish I had more to write about this week but it's been fairly uneventful, other than a few last minute details on the house. We should be closing next week if all goes well, and construction will start very shortly after that.

Meanwhile, I was just reminiscing on some of the best lines I heard during our travels. Thought I would share:

"Man, you gonna have to check yo' bag."
-- A very angry baggage screener to a perplexed young man trying to pass the following items through the xray: A half-full liter of Gatorade, a tube of toothpaste (Costco-sized), a bottle of shampoo, and ... a pocket knife.

"Dude, got your i-pizzle?"
-- A very white guy making sure his very white friend had his ipod ready for the long flight. (What's the izzle?)

"Want to sing or dance?"
-- One flight attendant asking another if she'd rather announce safety protocols on the microphone or demonstrate in the aisle.

"We were going to wait 'til you fell asleep and steal those from you."
-- The friendly older couple sitting next to me regarding my big purple ear plugs.

I guess I should explain that last one. See I had the dubious honor on this last flight of encountering the worst-behaved child I have ever had the dubious horror of meeting. I know I'm not a parent, and maybe some of you parents feel sorry for this poor two-year-old (read: monster) who had to endure a traumatic event such as flying. But honestly, he was THE DEVIL CHILD. Outdone only by his equally horrific mother who split her time between yelling at him at just the right decibel level to pierce right through your eardrums, and chatting with her friend - astonishingly at the same decibel level. In Spanish. Which somehow doubled the torture, but I'm not sure how.

I was sitting across the aisle from them in bulkhead. Michael was sitting directly behind them, trying to work on his laptop, which turned out to be the perfect target for said child to aim for when launching himself over the seats with demonic strength.

The noise this family created actually drowned out the jet engine noise, which was why I had to put in my earplugs for everyone else to envy and apparently contemplate stealing.

But see, if I had had an extra pair, I may not have loaned them to this nice couple anyway. Halfway through the flight this child (who must have had a chili corn dog smothered in rotten cabbage for lunch) let one go in his diaper. Mom obviously thought no one could smell it, so she didn't change the diaper for about, oh, 20 minutes. Just long enough for the stench to burn itself into your nose hairs.

So anyway, what I'm saying is if I had two more earplugs, they would have gone up my nose before my delicate strands withered away somewhere over Tuscon.

Whirlwind of a Weekend

We had a bbq with Paul's friends Peter and Katie and their adorable 1-year old daughter Sidney on Saturday night. What a great family! Paul made us his famous bbq bacon pepperjack guacamole burgers on the Weber grill - fabulous!!


Sunday we got to play at church! It's been 6 months since we were part of the band, but it felt as if no time had gone by at all. It was really wonderful to be back. After napping Sunday afternoon we had dinner with some church friends that night in Lincoln. Ben and Yulia have a new baby too - Sophia. Scott and Jill came too with their adorable girls Maddie and Gabby.

In case you haven't noticed, it's been baby after baby after baby after adorable kids and more adorable kids all week long. Is the universe trying to tell us something?

Yesterday we had lunch at Mikuni (hooray, haven't found any good sushi in Austin yet!) with Shaun Sutton and his girlfriend Jessica, and saw the Transformers movie. It was AWESOME!!! Can't wait to see it again. Ran a few last minute errands, then treated ourselves to Round Table for dinner. If there are two things we miss the most they are Round Table and In-N-Out.

Today we are back at Jess and Paul's and headed out to the river. We fly out tomorrow morning.

For all the latest pics, check out the gallery.

California Dreamin'

We've been having a great time so far in California - aside from sweating bullets the size of small puppies. Lots of family last week, now it's time for some more friends, food and fun. And maybe some free time?

We spent the night with Michael's grandparents on Tuesday night, and got to meet the first great grandbaby the next morning. After a meeting with one of our best clients, it was back up to Jess & Paul's awesome place in Grass Valley on Weds. Got to see my oldest and bestest girlfriends Thursday night (They're not old, they're young and beautiful. We just go waaaaay back!)

Friday night met with some more friends at Crush 29. Tonight it's a bbq and another campfire.

Because of all the storms and power outages in Texas right now, our site will be down periodically - so sorry for the inconvenience! But bear with us, I'm keeping my commitments.

Be sure to keep your eye on the gallery for new pics.

Rivercats Game

As American as apple pie, oversized SUV's and chubby chidren.

Sunday Night BBQ at the Matthews' Senior