Fill er up!

Had to let everyone know how giddy I was today when I filled my (Suburban) gas tank for $57.00! I was so excited I wanted to drive around so I could fill it up and get giddy again! Two months ago it cost me $120.00 (over $4/gal) to fill my tank. It was $1.98- $2.06 in town today!

Hope this ride lasts awhile. Drive on!

Hail to the Chief

All I can say is...

Yikes!

I am so glad the process is over!

For the last two years we have been hearing how we need change.

Duh!

What frightens me is the fact that Obama seems to want to change America- not rectify the poor decisions our government has made. America has always prided itself on being a place where anyone can make it. America has always been a 'If you have the will there will be a way' kind of a place. Our founding fathers built this nation on the idea of getting away from big government.

I see Obama changing America. Will it still be the America we love?

America is two steps away from being a Socialist country. Now with Obama and the Democrats help...

Obama's talk of lowering taxes.

Of course that is NOT for those who have clocked in thousands of hours of school and work and have succeeded in building wealth through employment and investments. Those people WILL be taxed at a higher rate. Essentially they are paying for all those who put nothing into the pot yet always have their hand in it.

In this great Changed America who will want for the American dream of the past?

Will the American dream exist any longer?

Oh and- Thank Heaven- with Obama in office we will be blessed with great celebrities like Heidi Klum,Seal, fabulous Paris Hilton and Charlie Sheen staying in America! Yeah hurray. Their threats to 'leave America' if McCain/Palin were in office were so nauseating!

G.W.Bush and the government (Blue and Red alike) made a huge mess. They burned bridges with many nations. This will take a lot of time to mend. I believe Obama will be a good representative for the rest of the world to see in office. The mending will be easier with Obama in office.

For all of us Americans though...was he the best of the two evils- Being "African American" and being able to be President of the United States is Amazing and historic but that alone doesnt constitute the best choice for the welfare of our country and people. Hopefully voters decided their vote not due to the 'color of skin but the content of character'

God Bless America!

Frakenfamily

Uncle Colin, Auntie Heather, Megan, Connor and Aidan at Coles baseball game.

Cole-man

Hunter, Jordan, Cole and Rachie.

Soaking in the kitchen sink... Too cute

This is Hayden's you've got to be kidding look.





Hayden letting me know what he thought of the entire Hospital experience.


Doug, Bill, and Coy Ann at the Arboretum Shopping complex in North Austin

This past month has been full of surprises. I had such a well scheduled month. The menus- the lessons, the practices, the guests, the home improvements, and the half week getaway with my hottie husband. Nearly over scheduled- yet I left a second to breathe in between events. I love a master plan. - and let me tell you I was the master of this dang good plan.
It all went to pot.
The painters went a week over schedule, Our Dog Madigan was attacked and had to have a drain put in his neck, My brother was deathly ill on his visit to our home, My Brother in law and Sister in Law were unable to make it out to visit, I didn't win a million dollars in Vegas, and worst of all our Hayden had a horrible MRSA staph infection and had to have surgery! He had a drain put in his thigh!
Ending this sad sad pathetic saga- I guess my planning does not go rewarded. Why plan? Should I not plan out Thanksgiving? Will all go better if I just fly by the seat of my pants/ wing it? Deep thoughts by Tiffany. I am fearful! I already have a menu planned and have slated my to do's for the week prior- Hopefully I am not inviting disaster.
FrankenFamily signing out
TT

Rescue Me!

Phew- So many things to tell yet so little desire to not sleep... I will do my best to give you the skinny.
Time has flown by with our family this summer. So many activities yet it feels as if time has slipped through our fingers. I entertained the idea that once school started things would calm down. Perhaps I would have a few more 'breaks' (wha?). Not a chance! Life seems to be stuck on fast forward. I fancy myself as someone who can run with the big dogs - OMGoodness- I am dying here. 36 is supposed to be the new 28-
My daily schedule starts at
Hunter up at 4:45- and doesnt slow down until 10pm
I know many have even busier schedules. I am not complaining just swimming, treading water right now. I want my kids back- I want summer back.

On the happy, bright side- the kids are loving school!
Hunter started High school. She has made some great fun friends. They like fashion but aren't obsessed. They are giggly about boys but not over the top. They are athletes and scholars. They are kind girls with stellar senses of humor. Well balanced
Cole is loving 7th grade. Great friends- Nice kids- He is playing football. He made the 'A' team -wha? He is athletic yet only a slight 100 pounds! That is a feather here. He is also playing baseball. Adjectives that I would describe football with for Cole- terrifying and perhaps...theatrical. Although to most it may have seemed that he was a part of a few select plays during his first game -I am positive I saw him running to the side of his tackle briefly. Bravo for his debut performance. Unfortunately he was injured during his first game... too much to blog about- FYI it is now an ouch not an injury- he is doing better everyday.
Rachie has one of her best friends Marci in her class. She was bouncing off the walls when she found out. She is playing soccer, Doug is asst. coach for her team the 'Flash'. Rachie has 5 new hamsters babies. Thankfully we have homes for all 5 to go to!
Jordie is loving first grade. She is a reading fool. She is still getting used to the long day at school. She usually crashes before dinner. Unfortunately it is a accelerated downward spiral the second she steps off the bus. This spiral is usually accompanied by some type of meltdown/system failure matched by a demand from Mom or Dad for her to go lay down... Hopefully we will have this chaos in check sooner than later.
Doug is having as much fun as possible at work. He has been bored lately. He recently took his Texas Jurisprudence exam and received his Texas state license. He was also credentialed by a few other practices for moonlighting/ locums. He is in Indiana for 5 days right now. The man is a working machine. We are gearing up for a busy month. We get to see Dave and Robin this weekend. Bill and Coy Ann will be visiting, Doug is heading out to Indiana again- Cole is turning 13 on the 21st. Doug and I are heading to Las Vegas. Doug will be at a conference- I will be relaxing. Short and sweet vaca for the two of us- And in November we are looking forward to Ben, Greg and Megan heading out for Thanksgiving!
Hayden has taken to giggling uncontrollably. He still isn't really trying to talk. He is so much fun. We love to give him squishy hugs. He gives loves freely now, w/ little pats on your back.
As for me- Same ole same ole. I have this knack for acting with my heart and not always my head. Logic and reason don't always come first. Last week we braced ourselves for hurricane IKE. We prepared for many evacuees to head up to Georgetown. The schools were used as shelters from Austin on up. 3 Days after the hurricane hit I happened upon a couple with puppies. They had been sleeping in their car with 6 puppies and 2 dogs for 5 days! The shelters wouldn't take them with their dogs. They were skinny dirty dogs (and people). The couple needed money and shelter. They had the papers for the dogs- Boxers. I purchased one for Doug's 39th birthday... Just what he didn't want. We have settled on the name Maisy- But we aren't sold on it. Any suggestions? I also like Harley- We are having fun getting her healthy and loving her. Even if she doesn't work out with us (she is puppy rough with Hayden) we assume because she is so cute and lovable we can surely find someone willing to give her a home.

Please send any name suggestions for our newest addition-

That's life for now

Will keep you posted!

Family Friends and Fun

Break at Breck Slideshow

Break at Breck

Sorry I have not posted recently!

Fortunately for our family we were blessed with the return of Doug's Mom and Dad- Bill and Coy Ann Tilton! They have been serving a mission for the last 2 years in Uruguay. They arrived home to many smiling faces on Saturday, August 9th at 10:24 in Colorado Springs. What a great feeling to see them step around the corner of the walkway! I am not quite sure what I was expecting but two hours before they arrived it seemed like forever since we had seen them- As soon as we laid our eyes on them it seemed like yesterday. What an amazing feeling. I love the feeling of family- Of knowing you are near love. When I was able to hug Coy Ann with a 'welcome home' it felt so good knowing that they were home- that they were safe- that they made such an incredible decision to go and serve a mission and they returned with honor. I became a smidge choked up upon their arrival yet quickly got my game face back on. My thoughts turned to curiosity- Wonderment if they were sad to be back home. I have never served a mission but I know how much I love to serve others. I can only imagine how their hearts have been filled these last two years. Many people are going to miss them in Uruguay- I just hope they feel and know how much they are loved here also- Everyone that knows them knows of their good works and charity - they know of their sacrifices for others. I guess in short- cutting out my babble- I am so proud to be a part of this family. I walk among giants.

We have been anxiously anticipating their return - It was better than imagined/anticipated.

Doug(+6) has 3 brothers, David(+6), Greg(+3), Ben, and also one sister, Terri(+4). Each sibling was represented by their entire family- minus one, Alex, from Dave and Robins crew-unfortunately Alex couldn't get away from work and commitments in LA.

Our Tilton Family Reunion was in Breckenridge, Colorado at the Little Mountain Lodge. Bill and Coy Ann set the entire crew up in this amazing little mansion. The Little Mountain Lodge is a Bed and Breakfast but Bill and Coy Ann rented it out in its entirety for the week. AMAZING! 12 Bedrooms, 3 of them Suites, Doug and I were lucky enough to score a suite with a fireplace - the whole 9 yards. Sweet Suite. I don't think we could have asked for a better place for 26 family members to hang out together. My sister in law Megan coordinated food with the caterers up here and also set up all the fixins for anything and everything else you could imagine. I am sure more stress than I will even imagine. Kudos to her. Phew for me!

All the cousins were so excited to be together. It was such a blast catching up with the everyone. There was golfing, swimming, a Scavenger Hunt through Downtown Breckenridge, Horseback riding, Rock wall climbing, Jeopardy, a Birthday Party, BBQ, An Easter Egg hunt, Shopping, Photography and so many fun memories shared. Although I know we all had a ton of fun I am more excited to see how Bill and Coy Ann recoup after the reunion. I think it aged them. They left within 2 hours of landing for a week family reunion with 26 totally different personalities in one home after being away from home in a foreign country for 2 years... Hmm I think they are WAY overdue a break from Everyone and Everything. I am eager to hear how they spend their first month back to life as we know it.

I will post more ASAP. Here are some pics that I snapped while on break in Breck.