Tony and Paige.com

Anyone of you who have played tanks on Wii Play will appreciate this, not to mention how amazed I am about how well Matthew plays the game:  Matthew is 3 years, 10 months old and this morning he completed 45 missions with a total score of 195 tanks!  I know I probably should not brag about my child playing video games, but trust me when I tell you he is in constant motion while playing, working up a sweat and I do make sure he gets outside everyday to run around!

That said, I myself have never gotten a score of more that 19 tanks (with Matthew’s help) and I think Tony has topped out around 50 or 60 so you can see Matthew’s score is pretty amazing.  You wouldn’t believe his coordination and thinking skills he uses to out smart the other tanks!

Ok, I will stop gushing about how smart my little cutie pie is but I do want to tell Matthew’s Uncle Billy that I hope he has been praticing tanks a lot-Matthew is ready for a rematch!

Well, this election has a huge turn out already, so I thought I might try one of the Mega-Polling places Austin has to offer today.  Hopefully, there won’t be a 3-4 hour wait like those reported in Florida because Matthew is not feeling well today.  If there is a long line, we will just have to try again later.  Wish me luck!

We took Matthew to the festival down at Zilker Park this afternoon.  It was free with a food donation to the local food bank which was really cool.  They had several carnival style booth games for kids Matthew’s age to enjoy, some live music, and of course, a haunted house for the bigger kids.  The show stopper for little Matthew was the bounce house.  They had 3 different ones up so it really wasn’t crowded.  He was hestiant at first but when I started to put his shoes back on to leave he summoned his courage and jumped right on in!  I was so proud.

We also got several nice comments on Matthew’s costume.  Some guy even told us that everytime he saw him, the theme from Rocky played through his head.  I mostly think that everyone wished they had found a costume for their little ones that had shorts and wasn’t too warm.  It was very, very warm today and most Halloween costumes seem to be made of polar fleece these days!  Some little ones looked like they were melting in their little pumpkin costumes, poor things.

Matthew told me & Daddy that he really had a good time and that makes me feel better because I know he won’t get to go trick-or-treat family this year and that was always a tradition of ours.  I know I will miss it, too.

Anyway, here are a few pictures from the festival.

Sunday we took a small excursion to the Botanical Gardens so Matthew could check out “Dinoland”.  It is a large scale, outdoor display of life-sized dinosaurs along with some general knowledge about them.  The park also had a cellphone tour available but with a 3 year old to keep up with, we didn’t get to call in!

Matthew liked it and got to romp around outside for awhile and we got to check out how pretty the gardens were.

We got lots pictures.  I’ll post more soon.

Matthew and I made a whirl wind trip to Sherman to see my doctor then, since we were so close, drove on over to Paris to visit everyone we could from 6 p.m. Wednesday to 1 p.m. Thursday!  It was fast and a wonderful visit, we only wish we could have stayed longer and seen everyone and that Tony could have come too!  He had to work, though.  I guess that’s what future visits will be for…

Here is a picture of part our visit.  Matthew could not have been happier to see his family.  We had never seen him so wound up!

Matthew and I had a great time at the Children’s Museum today!  Then afterwards we caught up with Daddy at The Clay Pit for the best indian food we’ve ever had.  I think I’m getting the hang of navigating around Austin finally, but that probably has something to do the my new gps!

Anyway, here are a few pictures of Matthew at the museum.  He really did have a blast!

We took Matthew to the pool outside our apartment this afternoon and he loved it.  Even though I thought the water was frigid, I believe he did better at this pool than at the swim lessons he had at Aerofit 2 months ago!  The instructor frightened him, but that is a whole other post!!  As always since we moved here, I forgot my camera.  I want to start posting pictures soon but my mind is still a little mushy from the upheaval and I always forget it.

Speaking of forgetfulness, I went grocery shopping today by myself.  I figured it was time I ventured out on my own before Tony started work.  The prices here are actually for the most part, cheaper than prices in Paris and I only had to ask for the location of two things in the store, which I thought wasn’t too bad, until I left to go back home and missed my exit!  As soon as I passed it I knew I had messed up.  Luckily the next turn around wasn’t too far way.

Things are starting to feel more like home around here.  I am having to control my shopping urges, too.  There are just way too many cool place to shop and bargains to be had.  Since we are in this apartment I am trying not to accumulate to many things for space reasons but we are planning on buying a house in six months, after that –look out!  Just kidding, dear.

Hopefully, I’ll have pictures soon!

In the space of twenty-four days Tony got a new job, we sold our house, and moved to Austin.  What a whirlwind!  We are now in a very quiet, very convenient-to-everything, beautiful apartment and though it was sad at first I know we are going to love it here.  Of course it was hard leaving everything and everyone we’ve ever known behind, but you’ll never get anywhere if you don’t get out of your comfort zone and take a chance.

I know Austin is full of possibilities that, as good as things were in Paris, we would never have had if we’d stayed.

Tony and I really like the feel of the city and Matthew told us tonight that he has decided to stay in Austin.  That could have something to do with the train ride at Zilker Park and the carousel at the mall!  Everyone we’ve met has been extremely friendly so far and we are fortunate enough to have some great friends that live here, too.  I plan on updating the site more often since we are so far away from friends and family so please check back when you have time!  We miss everyone so feel free to leave a comment or email us.  We’d love to hear from you all.

You should have seen Matthew on the Wii Fit this morning.  He did his body test and then some agility test and thought it was too cool.  The Wii Fit told him his Wii Fit Age was 4 so now he thinks he is 4 years old, that his birthday has come and gone.  I reassured him it hadn’t and that he still had a party coming.  He was o.k. with it then.

So far he has score the best age out of all of us.  I guess I’ll have to step up my game.

I was severely disappointed to hear John Edwards admit to and affair he had at one time denied.  I was one of the many who thought he was”one of the few good guys” left in Washington.  Even thought he would have been a reasonable president. And he may still be, but is it any wonder our society is so cynical and untrusting?

He stated in an interview that all the attention he recieved from his campaign for president made him feel special, deserving and arrogant.  Which makes me wonder:  Can anyone keep their morals in check once good fortune, power and popularity come knocking?  Does even a small amount of success corrupt your moral compass?  Is there anyone left who won’t come to believe that they are above it all?

For our sakes, I hope there is.  Ok.  Off the soap box.