ACL Fest

Clarence got me and my friend, Lora tickets to ACL Fest!
For those of you who may not know ACL is Austin City Limits and they have a music festival every year and it is AWESOME! You can check out more info at: www.aclfestival.com

It's for 3 days, 8 stages, & 130 bands - it's non-stop excitement!!

So,... here's Lora and I on the first evening. We hadn't been there for very long, so that's why we still look "refreshed"!

Our tickets included access to the exclusive, Grove area! Here's the "Grove" - it's the only shade, and you must have a wrist band to get in. Plus - free drinks, food, and FLUSHABLE potties! That was an extra special bonus - NO porta-potties!

Day 2 - chillin' at the Grove!

On Day 2 we learned something - the dust is HORRIBLE! Imagine 65,000 people waling around on dirt, stirs up some CRAZY dust! Everybody was hacking, sneezing, & sniffling!
Lora got it REAL bad, so the next day - everyone seem to come better prepared and we all dressed up like....


BANDITS!

There were TONS of bandits! And, although t was a little funny, it sure did help out a lot!

I thought this pic was funny - everyone fighting over a piece of shade!

See all of the people against the GREAT Austin sky line!

One of my new fave bands that I was lucky to see, was Fly Leaf!
They are a Christian Rock Band & they were FABULOUS!
http://site.flyleafmusic.com

By the last night, we were SO tired!
We did not feel like fighting our way to the front to see Foo Fighters.
So,... here they are - believe it or not.
They still gave a GREAT show!!!!

YAY ACL Fest! Good times!!!!

Lexi's Last 8th B-Day Celebration

For Lexi's B-Day Dinner, she wanted to have Fondue!
Seriously?!?!?!

I found a great recipe on www.familyfun.com that was VERY kid-friendly without a lot of white wine. We busted out Anne & Rollie's old electric fondue pot and got to work!

Lexi got to do the first dip!

Both of the kids were SO excited to get to eat cheese on EVERYTHING!

Suzie came over to help us celebrate!
She got Lexi this cool game - a kid version of "Would you Rather".
We played it for a LONG time!
It was fun!!
Example - "Would you rather have wheels on your feet with NO brakes OR Hooks for hands, like a pirate!" oh - it was some GOOD times!

Clarence & I got Lexi the newest version of DDR, only to realize that we cannot play it on PS3 until we get an adapter. What a BUMMER! Oh well,... in a couple of weeks, it will be ON!!

She had a GREAT night!!
Happy Birthday :)

Happy Birthday Lexi!

Can you tell that we LOVE birthdays around here?
On the morning of your birthday in the Keese household, we get to eat Ice Cream for breakfast! Lexi's birthday actually was on a school day this year (the first time that THAT has happened!) So,... Clarence and I got her up about 20 minutes early, and served her some ice cream with a candle and even sang "Happy Birthday!".

Lexi's B-Day with Granny & Grandaddy

We had a birthday celebration with Lexi's Granny & Grandaddy.
They got her 2 very cute Webkinz (the latest addiction!)... a goldfish & a deer.
Lexi was very excited!

CHEESE!!!!

Lexi and her yummy cookie cake!

Lexi's slumber party

For Lexi's party, we had a "Webkinz Slumber Party".
We had a blast!!
The guys went to a friend's house and had their very own slumber party!
We had a total of 6 girls and I had 2 helpers.
Plus, one of my friends stayed and took all of the pictures!
It was GREAT!!!!

Before he left, Cooper gave Lexi her gift.

The new Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus DVD!
That came in handy later in the night when it was time to lay down.

Here are the girls in their sleeping arrangements!
It was GREAT!!

I will post more pics when I get them in from my friend.
I'm not too sure who had more fun - the kids or the grown-ups?!?!?!
It took some planning beforehand, but that night - things went so smooth!
Lexi had a GREAT birthday!!!

Big Daddy AS Hannah Montana

During my parents visit, one night my dad put on Lexi's Hannah Montana wig!
It was HILARIOUS!!!
We were all cracking up!!

He is totally rocking it out!

We got a drink called "Izze" - it's a carbonated juice drink.
It was ONLY for a special occasion - like for Game Day!

It did make Cooper a little on the wild side!

Later that day, Cooper became a mechanic and worked on the Barbie Jeep.

Ike is coming!

When Ike was headed my parents' directions, they loaded up and came our way!
We all enjoyed their visit, & we were able to celebrate Lexi's B-Day in the process.

Here is Cooper and Big Daddy being "Bed Time Buddies".

My parents got Lexi a very unique gift. She is saving her money for a Nintendo DS, so they gave her a Hannah Montana metal lunch tin filled with cash.
Very cute!!
Of course, Lexi LOVED it!

Gettin' some luvin'!

The kids' idea of fun! "Let's cover up Grandma Cissy with playing cards while she sleeps"!
Ha ha....

Lexi's Birthday cake!

We were fortunate enough to not have too much damage to my parents' house!
Thank goodness!
Everyone was safe - even the cat, Swiper!

Gattiland

Well,... college football season has started! Don't get me wrong, I am just as excited as any football luvin' Texan SHOULD be.
HOWEVER - we all know that the first week of games is pretty pointless!
I always dread this week, because all of that football testosterone has been building up over the summer, and just waiting to explode while our fave teams plays some team equivalent to a high school team! I just can't take it!!

So,... fried Shannon & I packed up the kids and went to Gattiland.

Here's something we had never done before (prob. b/c it cost $2!!)...
a simulated roller coaster ride.
Very interesting, and although Cooper APPEARS to be having fun, as soon as it was all said and done, there were some tears!

This was pretty funny - I am trying to take the kids pic outside before we leave, and there are stranger kids inside putting "bunny ears" on our kids!

We went back to Shannon's and rode around...

Camden & Cooper....

First Day of Second Grade!

I canNOT believe my baby girl is starting second grade!
That's just plain weird!!

So,... of course, I am a dork and had to take pictures of the first day of school...

Here's Lexi in the early morning AM, showing off her new "Hannah Montana" backpack!

OH YES - Even in front of the marquee!
I wonder how long she'll let me keep doing this shot?

One of her friends, Courtney, was already in class waiting for her to get there!

I MUST say - this is the very FIRST year, that I did not cry while dropping her off!
YAY ME!
However, afterward, there was a parent mingle in the library, and one of my friends came in with watery eyes, and.... oh yes,.... I started to cry.
Not uncontrollable sobbing (like kindergarten) and not bubbly snot crying (like first grade),... just a little tears and some nervous laughter (at my self)!!
I guess that counts for improvement?!?!?


So,... Cooper was super sad ALL day!
We went to go pick her up at school, and here he is when he first saw her!
It was such a sweet moment!

Party at the Dell Diamond

For our "End of Summer Social", we had a party at the Dell Diamond.
It was GREAT!!!
Here is Lexi playing on the bungee!
She had a blast - flipping and jumping!

Welcome Walk

Every year, towards the end of summer, our school has a "Welcome Walk".
We anxiously await for the New Teacher to come knocking on our door!
This is a very exciting tradition!!

Here's Lexi with a sign that she made for her new teacher to see.

The moment has arrived!
Lexi's new teacher is.....



Ms. Rizzoli!!!

She is a brand new teacher this year, and just graduated from t.u. (I will try not to hold that against her :) ). She seems VERY sweet!

We really look forward to this next year!

Girls' Trip

This year for my girl's trip, we all packed our bags & headed to Galveston!
And,... thank goodness we did - before Ike came and destroyed so many parts of it.
While we were there, we had a surprise birthday party for my friend Lora.

Here's Christy, Jodie, & Sarah

Here we are posing in front of "The Spot".

We had a great time on our annual retreat!!
Wonder where we'll go next year?.... Hhmmmmmm......