Thought for the day

A lecturer, when explaining stress management to an audience, raised a glass of water and asked,
"How heavy is this glass of water?"
Answers called out ranged from 20g to 500g.
The lecturer replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter.
It depends on how long you try to hold it.
If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem.
If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm.
If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance.
In each case, it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes."
He continued, And that's the way it is with stress management.
If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavy, we won't be able to carry on. "
As with the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again.
When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden."
"So, before you return home tonight, put the burden of work down. Don't carry it home.
You can pick it up tomorrow.
Whatever burdens you're carrying now, let them down for a moment if you can."
So, my friend, why not take a while to just simply RELAX.
Put down anything that may be a burden to you right now.
Don't pick it up again until after you've rested a while.
Life is short. Enjoy it!
Here are some great ways of dealing with life:
* Accept that some days you're the pigeon, and some days you're the statue.
* Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them.
* Always read stuff that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it.
* Drive carefully. It's not only cars that can be recalled by their maker.
* If you can't be kind, at least have the decency to be vague.
* If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably worth it
* It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others.
* Never buy a car you can't push.
* Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time, because then you won't have a leg to stand on.
* Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.
* The second mouse gets the cheese.
* When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.
* Birthdays are good for you. The more you have, the longer you live.
* You may be only one person in the world, but you may also be the world to one person.
* Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once.
* We could learn a lot from crayons... Some are sharp, some are pretty and some are dull. Some have weird names, and all are different colors, but they all have to live in the same box.
*A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.

Now you are hopefully relaxed

I know this is nothing to do with Texas, but i thought it was relevant to so many of my friends out there..we all carry a lot of burden, and it is worth putting it down when we can...I think coming to Texas was a way for Allan and I to do just that and change the burdens..I think we did that and have for now, greatly reduced them, so i wish you all the same.

The Old Pecan Street festival

So off we went to the Old pecan street festival, it is help twice a year to raise money for 6th street regeneration. 6th street is in the heart of down town and when any of you visit us, I can guarantee you will visit 6th street..it is alive during the day but amazing at night, so much live music, restaurants, clubs, bars etc. Now 6th street use to be Pecan street so that is why the festival is called what it is.

It is a mass of local artists who sell there wares, promote themselves and is a fun family time during the day and i would say an amazing event in the evening..it runs from 10am until 11pm..I have not been at night so will have to sample that next spring for you.

I have tried to take photo's of a variety of stalls and us just to give you an idea. lots of alcohol and food flowing, live music on 5 different stages, and soda galore.

We tried to be green, so went Downtown by bus, it was easy and fun , the younger boys enjoyed the ride!!






They had a Play Station 3 trailer, which my boys managed to find, and were captivated by the games, noise and i was happy as I got given a free tote bag..who cars that is says play station on it. I was also on the look out for koosies,, as I am collecting them for our cans and bottles, I got two free ones yesterday..so my collection is growing..

Our weekend

we have had a lovely family weekend with not a lot of stress which is great, I was at a craft convention on Friday and Saturday with a friend, Jo Ann, which we enjoyed, it was down at San Marcos. Allan collected both sets of children on Friday from school, and Jo Ann eldest Bonnie (3rd grade like Alex), was very impressed that he cooked fresh chocolate chip cookies when they got in from school...i will not ruin her image of him by telling her truth...she has made her dad feel quiet inferior..Jo Ann and I are still laughing..kids, got to love them.
The kids had homework over the weekend which they did with out too much stress and they all enjoyed their games consoles..which are banded from Monday to Thursday nights...my way to focus them during the week.
We enjoyed a leisurely time with lots of meals, walks and slobbing out, the weather was wonderful and it was one of those weekends that you start the week feeling like you actually had a weekend of relaxation.
Cara is settled in to Uni curtsy of Alison, so thank you very much Alison...i think she is having lots of fun getting to know her new flat mates and the reality of lessons I think starts tomorrow, but not actually sure...just letting her roll..this is her time to branch out and have some freedom in a very different way...in the all American way...Go Cara ...
next weekend is the Pecan festival down town, the following weekend is ACL..Austin City limits, which i am going to with a friend, and Alex and Bens launch of the Marathon for Kids..all go as normal..Austin is great for things going on and now we are cooling down..many more things are happening.

jacks school Pep Rally

So last Saturday, we went of to Jacks school for the pep rally..it was basically a money grabbing opportunity for all the clubs at school..and an opportunity to show off the Band,the colour guard, the cheerleaders and the Silver stars.. ( the ultimate cheer leaders, with a big dose of gymnastics thrown in with a high energy dance routine...uber fit, bendy and coordinated!!! for those of you who do not know)



This is Alex and Ben sitting front row to watch the band do the finale, in the front is the colour guard, they march with the band where ever they go and twirl the batons and generally help the band look more....not sure what to say actually..when i have watched a full performance, I will update you then.


this is the cheer leaders, very difficult t9o catch them still...so sorry for the quality..this is teh best of the bunch..luckily the children do not rely on my photography skills to put food on the table!!















This is the Silver Stars..far fewer of them, this year they will be going to the championships in Hawaii...













A and B got there face painted...this was the money raiser for the theatre group...


















this is the hallways. full of people wanting your money, I had donated a load of brownies to the 2012 Booster group..this is the club that is already arranging the graduation party for Jacks year, he is know as the class of 2012..so i am helping with that..everyone leaves the party..it is an all nighter, with a prize..mini fridges for college etc...apparently it is a big deal!! we will be finding out.

The other people who got a special appearance in the hall was the Bowie football team..American football..they were all dolled up in there kit..and everyone was excited to see them...hmmmm

it finally rained

it rained, finally after hardly any rain for 24 months, it poured down...and the kids loved it. a few roads had to close due to the debris that came across them..but I don't think anyone minded.. The temperatures dropped as well down to the 70's which was also a wonderful break from our summer heat, for about three days we had good rain and our temperatures were about 11f below normal, we did not mind, the 70's are a great temperature.

As you can see, the boys played outside in it , we sat on the covered patio and watched..it is always an amazing sight, the rain, the storms..they seem to do them with such vigour here..nothing in half measures.

the garden loved the soaking it got and it meant we did not have to have the sprinklers on, although the rain was not enough to stop the current water restrictions we have in place...restaurants are not allowed to just bring water to the tables( normally they would) they have to wait to be asked by the customer for water. we can only use our sprinklers one a week now, so in little ways you notice the lack of water..plants dieing is a good indication..just so hot.

Jo turns another year wiser...

We all went out...well all means Alan and Jo and Allan and I...no children....to an Italian restaurant over by Driftwood, it has a vin yard attached as well, very beautiful, to celebrate Jo birthday. i made her cake and as he birthday presents involved cooking, some aprons as well...we are modeling them for you...for those of you who don't know Jo loves airplanes..check out her blog it is on the side bar of mine...very interesting..

Ice Cream festival

Austin has an ice cream festival which I wanted to go too, as Cara loves ice cream...I thought it would be fun. the day was so hot that was hard work..being outside with all the kids when it is very hot becomes trying..They had a few fair rides for the kids to go on, apart from that it was just the ice cream vendors from the Austin Area..