Last Trip to Lariat Ridge

This weekend was probably our last trip to Carol's before we head off to India. Carol made her world famous fried chicken for Friday dinner. Greta served up her amazing carne guisada and pollo guisado for Saturday brunch. And Nicolle brought in Granzin's barbecue for Saturday afternoon. And sometime in between we got donuts and kolaches from Sweeties to round out the culinary hill country weekend.

And we drank our last bottle of Avi. The funny thing is that the name came from putting together Ava and Vivian, but the label looks more like Evan and J - neither of whom were around when Nicolle and I dreamt up of Avi that day at the Dry Comal Creek Vineyards more than three years ago.

But some things never change - Nicolle and I continue to be inspired by JoMi!

Rock Band - The Children Tour

Our first Rock Band party was "a milestone event". This was our third - billed as a going-away reunion tour, but felt like The Children Tour. The party ended soon after nine when a room-full of tired parents and to-be parents and friends fell over into deep sleep while my guitar gently wept. We'd been working a hard day's night eight days a week....

Sibling Love

Evan throws himself at Vivian. And cuddles with her. And climbs all over her. And kisses her and slobbers on her. And then pulls her hair. Vivian isn't nearly as demonstrative, but she has her moments too. And they are lovely to watch when they do play together and laugh and cackle at the strangest things

Weekend

We drove down to New Braunfels on Thursday evening and hurried back to Austin on Sunday morning for neighbor Ava's third birthday. Somewhere along the way the cousins played, swam, ate watermelon, celebrated Kai's ninth birthday, and we painted the screened-in porch and moved several thousand pounds of rock and gravel to redo the front yard.

I learned that river rock is much heavier than garden soil, Grandma sings in the pool, and Evan doesn't sleep without a pack-n-play. And that I would never do another project without my wife. I don't go in for  over the top spousal praise in the social media, but I'll have to admit Jo is amazing and terrific.