if you vote, he will win...

so my brother michael entered this radio contest to get free tickets and backstage passes to a 311 concert, and he's in the top 5!
as part of the entry, all contestants had to make a video of themselves singing a 311 song.
his is awesome, you gotta check it out!
so in order to win, he needs people to vote for his video so click here and vote for #2 Michael Losee. Thanks!!! (if for some reason you can't view this video, you can see it when you click the link)

missing my girl

jasmine left for a trip to utah on monday to visit family, and we've been missing her like crazy! mia misses her too. she stands at the bottom of the stairs and yells "das" (jas). it's very cute

so i was transferring some pictures from my camera to the computer yesterday, and it looks like she left me a present cause she knew i'd be missing her. thanks jas:) hurry home to us!

17 again

 pool parties and late night movies with the girls (eclipse was good enough to see again). i love working with the young women .

lovins

mia was giving out free lovins the other day, and we were all taking full advantage (except the grumpy man here who i think was getting grossed out because she got slobber on him).
sweet baby.

4th of July weekend

no need for any explanation, the pictures speak for themselves. we filled the weekend with family, friends, parade, swimming, and fireworks. happy birthday to our country!

fishin'

the boys found a sweet fishing spot just a few minutes from the house. here's some highlights from their first outing...

first off- playing in the water

initial set up, snacks, and popsicles

now time for some serious fishing...

and we have a winner! van's first fish:)

the proud display

i stopped by to see the action and help get the gear home. it was a good enough day to merit van's phrase of "this is the best day of my life!"

since then, bigger fish have been caught and the fun goes on...

trash to treasure

 i bought this set of little cube things at the thrift store for 5 bucks a while back, not knowing what i was going to do with them but seeing some potential. junk you say? nah, they're just a little scratched up so i decided to cover them...

 with the usual.

 some of the wood was beyond repair

so i put on a quick coat of black paint and sanded down all the sides and corners as a distraction.

and now i've got my own set of...cube thingys.

now what to do with them?
i was envisioning a focal point, but i couldn't find a good wall (today).

 so i put them on the bookshelf in the office as a little topper thing,

then moved the shelf around the room to do my other project (random wall of pictures and stuff), where they just blend in looking obscure amidst all the other decor that is screaming out (i might have over done it). so much for the focal point. now no one will notice the detail of the sanding, and the paint, and the paper, but me.
but really that's ok cause no one else cares. at least i can walk in the room and say- wow look at that sanding job!:)

singin' in the rain

ok so there wasn't any singing involved, but last week we had this huge downpour of rain that was too much of a temptation for the kids to resist. and since the rain here in texas is like bathwater, we let 'em loose.

eventually the pants came off...

and come to think of it, mr. sander's may or may not have busted out some gene kelly moves and burst out into song:)

eclipse

best one yet!
p.s. jasmine wanted me to clarify that we were at the actual premiere. she doesn't want to be known as "one of those people" who see it like two days later.
anyways, good times.

lately

exercising

kissing herself (webcam fun)

bedtime story

writing a book

world cup, brazil game

flowers for mom

pretty jas

 love the freckles, love the smile, love the eyes...

 love this girl.

sisters