TAMS Twentieth

I had been looking forward to our 20th high school reunion for a long time because I was part of the planning team. Saturday morning I was almost queasy with nervousness -- not because I was afraid of seeing people, but because I was afraid my expectations for a good time were too high to meet.

Was I ever wrong -- we had a BLAST! Our kids had a good time visiting our old dorm. Parts of it are unchanged after 20 years, but some parts had been updated. Randy and Shelley took the kids with them and they went to play at Top Golf. Allen and I walked through campus and had lunch with other alumni at a tasty pizza place on Fry Street across from campus. After we took another scenic route back to the dorm where we parked, we visited with Allen's crowd and some current students -- comparing activities and the ways TAMS has changed. It was an interesting conversation that lasted until we were too cold to stay. We headed to the hotel to check in and sat in the dining area with friends until we had to head to the restaurant a little bit early to set up.

Our main reunion event was dinner at Hula Hut, owned by a Chrissy's parents (Chrissy is one of my best buddies from our class at TAMS. We still keep in touch). There was lots of visiting and silly photos and catching up in ways Facebook doesn't help. I took an easy way out and posted myself as the greeter. That was my way of visiting with EVERYone for at least a few minutes, but not getting stressed about not being able to hear over the crowd. The photo booth was a fun ice-breaker, but then people piled in for pictures that were recreating old photos (like I did with my friends).

We headed back to the hotel around 10:30 and drove several others back to the hotel with us. Around 11:30pm, the games began at the hotel -- Spades, 42, 7 Wonders, and Cards against humanity. We filled the lobby with a bunch of nerds playing games -- just like life at the dorm 20 years earlier. The hotel bar was open for awhile so there were some toasts and we had snacks left over from the earlier events to keep us from getting hungry as we played for several hours.

Sunday morning came too early -- well, we were up well INTO the morning. Allen and I and our group of gamers played CodeNames until four...thirty...AM. (I was really glad I hadn't been drinking as I can't imagine dealing with that AND no sleep.) Allen and I slept for a few hours, then we went to Kyle Holmes's home for a late-morning brunch. Some people were there who couldn't make it to earlier events and it was a great chance to catch up some more. The two of us headed out a bit early for the drive back to Melissa to get the kiddos who had a great weekend golfing and playing with Nana and Papa.

I really can't put into words what a wonderful time Allen and I had. It isn't that we felt young again, but it was delightful to pick up where we left off with friendships. So many of us have traveled such different lives, but we had just enough in common to enjoy our time together this weekend!

Quotes:
Dad, why did that guy have a duct tape nametag that said "Harf"? --Will, referring to Mitch
This was the most real event of the weekend (referring to the TAMSters overtaking the hotel dining area and playing games until 4:30am) -- several of us said this
I am really glad you went to TAMS, too, so I don't have to explain to my wife why I am coming to bed at 4:30 in the morning. -- Allen

Edward Boyden was not at our reunion though he graduated form TAMS with us. I can't say that I remember him being at any of the previous reunions, but our class enjoyed congratulating him on a big award he got this weekend -- a Breakthrough Prize in Life Science "for the development and implementation of optogenetics – the programming of neurons to express light-activated ion channels and pumps, so that their electrical activity can be controlled by light."

From the press release:(San Francisco - November 8, 2015) – The Breakthrough Prize and its founders Sergey Brin and Anne Wojcicki (Google), Jack Ma and Cathy Zhang, Yuri and Julia Milner, and Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan (Facebook), tonight announced the recipients of the 2016 Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences, Fundamental Physics and Mathematics. A combined total of $21.9 million was awarded at the 3rd Annual Breakthrough Prize Awards Ceremony in Silicon Valley.“By challenging conventional thinking and expanding knowledge over the long term, scientists can solve the biggest problems of our time,” said Mark Zuckerberg. “The Breakthrough Prize honors achievements in science and math so we can encourage more pioneering research and celebrate scientists as the heroes they truly are.”

Overall, it was an AMAZING weekend, and I know we all enjoyed being able to say, "We knew Ed way back when..."

Cooking with Nana

...Just capturing a picture of Will [being silly and] cooking with Nana.

A Fighters, A Scarecrow, A Dinosaur, and Something Else

Just like
EVERY.
SINGLE.
YEAR...
Halloween comes at the end of a ridiculously busy season for us, and it is so tempting to just skip it altogether. Fortunately, having four kids who won't LET me skip it, means that I push through all the overwhelming fatigue, and I have a great time! Last weekend, Allen took the kids to pick out their Halloween costumes after the trio received birthday money specifically to use on costumes. I put together a bit of a random, last-minute compilation of several costume pieces. I don't know what I was. Allen was a dinosaur (he was a Professional Dino earlier in the week for a work costume contest.) This year, Will decided NOT to trick-or-treat, but he stayed home and passed out the candy. He set himself up by the door like a scarecrow prop and started many who came for candy. He promised he didn't try to scare any of the little kids who came. When we came home after doing the neighborhood circuit, he told us it was funny how many people suspected he was a real person but still ended up startled. We got to witness a few of those -- he was right: it was pretty funny!

Cake Boss and Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday to Ben, Maddie, and Jon!...a day late. The boys were all camping, and Maddie and I were at a zoo overnight Friday evening through Saturday morning. Saturday was the triplets' birthday, but we wouldn't all be together until Sunday. Working on her cake decorating badge for scouts, Maddie followed the recipe to make a layered limeade cake with coconut-buttercream icing. I showed her a few cake decorating steps, and she took it from there. She was SO proud to present her brothers with a REALLY tasty and pretty cake for them to share. Happy NINTH Birthday to my three youngest kiddos! (I hope to get better pictures next year of them blowing out their candles -- oops!)

Fairly Fun Day

With Ben, Maddie, and Jon having a birthday next weekend, we have been trying to find a way to celebrate. Unfortunately, next weekend is already packed with our family going in two different directions with scouts. The guys are all going camping for the weekend, and Maddie and I are doing an overnight at the zoo.

Allen and I made a bit of a last-minute plan as we realized that this weekend had no plans and it was a three-day weekend (Allen used a vacation day so that he had a long weekend with us.) Maddie had a sleepover for Audrey's birthday party, but we picked her up early and we all headed north. We got to Allen's parents' around 11am, grabbed a quick lunch, then all of us went and got on the DART train and headed to the Texas State Fair. A first for the kids and me!

We were a bit loony to go on the day of the Texas and OU football game (at the Cotton Bowl at the fair grounds), but we knew that going in and went anyway. 

We spent most of the afternoon wandering through exhibits -- checking out the new cars and trucks, seeing product booths, and *I* loved the creative arts building. I was a bit jealous that other people can find time to quilt and paint, but I enjoyed looking at all their creations. We enjoyed a marionette show and found corndogs for the kids and burgers for the adults for dinner. Ben and Will had some of our burger -- my burger was half-the-height of Ben's face -- it was HUGE... and, surprisingly, pretty tasty. After dinner, we headed for the midway.

We stood in line for the Ferris wheel -- the tallest ride in the western hemisphere. Allen and I were in with Ben and Jon, while Maddie and Will rode with Randy and Shelley. We got to the top of the ride at dusk -- though my knees were trembling, seeing the colorful lights AND the rainbows of dusk behind the city were beautiful!

We had enough tickets left for the kids (and grandparents) to ride another ride. Will, Nana, and Papa headed for some sort of centrifuge that I couldn't even watch without getting dizzy. Ben, Maddie, and Jon headed for the swings. All of them enjoyed their rides and Allen and I enjoyed standing still in the "quiet" for a couple minutes. One last dessert and we headed out for a long train ride home. It was a late night, but we all had a really good time!

We went to church Sunday morning, then Jenn came to say hi and bye, but Jason and the boys stayed for lunch and birthday cake. All of that busyness, then we rushed home so our three little thespians would make it to musical practice by 5pm.

The Hide Story

Will is taking Texas History at Venture this year, and one of the first projects was to create his life-story on a "hide." Will chose to wrinkle and smooth and chalk and ink a piece of brown paper bag to create the hide on which he told his story. He also decided to look up real Native American symbols and tell his story using those pictures. HIS story... started with God creating the world and going through Noah's ark. He claims that is all part of his heritage so he insisted the teacher accept it. She did.

Studying and Playing

I have been reading to Ben about Native Americans and Will has studied Natives of Texas in history. Who knew that would lead to this kind of fun?