Charlie contemplating his father's mortality

"Dad, do you know what happens when you die?

We get all your wine!"

Not your parents' kindergarten

Last week, in Joseph's class, the students dissected a lima bean in order to find and examine the embryo, cotyledon, and seed coat.

I don't know what that means, but I'm impressed.

Christmas past

Christmas decorations are finally put away in the Maddux household. This was a new ornament this year. I have to admit that I used to consider putting this type of homemade ornament on the Christmas tree to be tacky, not cute.

Until my kids started making them.

By Joseph - 2009

Wordless Wednesday

Manners - a work in progress

Helen: "I want more bread"

Cort: "What do you say Helen?"

Helen (standing on chair and climbing onto table): "I gonna get me some!"

Mmm-mmm good

Mustard and pickle sandwich.

Makes My Monday

Two things make my day this Monday.

First, Cort and I took a little trip this weekend. We went to New Orleans with three other couples. Good friends, good food, good times.

Second, we may have found us a second babysitter in the process. She kept all four kids while we were gone, and everyone seemed to have a great time. If only she lived in Houston.

Bourbon Street - gotta love it

Warming up

Houston weather is warming up. Thank goodness, because the recent cold snap was not good timing for us . . . in that it coincided with Will's newfound refusal to wear a coat, pants, or long sleeves.

Oh, the joys of two year olds.

Happy birthday to me

A couple of days ago I had my first annual 39th birthday. Joe made me a card.

On the front it said

MY MOMS giFT CARD

(The boys heard the phrase "gift card" over Christmas, but to them it isn't a card giving you credit at a store, it's a card that also functions as your gift.)

Inside it said

DeAR: AMY
hAPPY 39Th
BiRTDAY
I LiKeD The CAke
DiD
YOU?
ANSeR
_ _ _

(Note that there are three spaces for my answer, meaning that the only correct answer is Y E S.)

Then it continued with

MY MOMS TiMeLiNe

1971 0

1972 1

1973 2

1974 3

1975 4

1976 5

1977 6

1978 7

1979 8

1980 9

1981 10

1982 11

1983 12

1984 13

1985 14

1986 15

1987 16

1988 17

1989 18

1990 19

1991 20

1992 21

1993 22

1994 23

1995 24

1996 25

1997 26

1998 27

1999 28

2000 29

2001 30

2002 31

2003 32

2004 33

2005 34

2006 35

2007 36

2008 37

2009 38

2010 39

And that pretty much sums up my life, I guess. And my son.

LOST

No, the blog is not lost. I've got postings and pictures from the holidays on, but they just haven't made it on here yet.

For the time being, Cort and I are enjoying some completely frivolous time. We have Netflix on demand through Tivo, and a little over a week ago we started watching the first season of LOST. Wow, what an addicting show. We've already finished the 25 episodes in season one. (And by the way, this is the way to watch a television show.)

So, there are blog postings to be written, as well as closets to be cleaned out, budgets to be done, Christmas decorations to be put up, and any number of other household, financial, work, and child-related tasks in the queue. But right now, we're just LOST. And we're enjoying it.

What a decade

Y2K in Chicago

Election litigation

Presidential inauguration

New York City

Australia

New York City again

New York City again

Texans inaugural season

House remodeling/addition

Ruidoso

Alaska

Twins

Lots of "firsts"

Saying goodbye to Grandpa

Florida to see Aunt Jody

St. Simon's Island

Ruidoso with kids

The hurricane that wasn't (Rita)

New job for Cort

Cayman Islands

Starting Christmas traditions at home in Houston

More twins (and big brothers!)

More "firsts"

Cayman Islands again

Soccer

New house

New job for Amy

10-year anniversary and Zihuatenajo

Cayman Islands again

Oklahoma

Hurricane Ike

Denver

Skiing in Ruidoso

Spring training and Disneyworld

T-ball

Preschool graduation

New York City

Basketball

20th high school reunion

Cayman Islands again

Kindergarten

Saying goodbye to Tracer

Here's to the next one!