Spring!

Hello again from Austin! It wasn't too long ago that we posted, but now the bluebonnets and wildflowers are out and spring is here.

Over spring break, Mom and Aunt Lynne drove down for a short visit. We made a pear-cardamom pie with almond crust that was really good :). Mom and I rented a pickup truck from Home Depot and got a cubic yard of dirt to start a raised garden in our backyard. We'll see if I can keep everything alive. Thank you Mom for all of your help!

The 2003 Toyota Echo and the Rivers' 2007 Nissan Versa have moved on to the next stage of their lives. Both cars served us well and it was sad to see them go. We got a Toyota Prius over Christmas break and really like it. It regularly gets 50 or more miles per gallon on my drives to and from work. When it came time for James to pick a car, we tried a few different ones and he kept saying he liked the Prius better (but didn't want to get the exact same car). Come to find out there are three different models, Prius C, Prius, and Prius V. The Prius C is smaller and doesn't have the same split rear window and it still gets the same gas mileage, (the Prius V is bigger and gets 10 fewer mpg) so now we are a two Prius family.

Contest season went well. Both orchestras earned a trophy. The non-varsity orchestra received straight one ratings and the varsity received an average of one ratings on the stage and in the sight-reading room. It has taken a while, but I think the relationships are starting to form with the 7th and 8th graders. The 6th graders didn't know the previous teacher, so it was easier to bond with them earlier in the year. We have Solo and Ensemble Festival, Beginner / Mariachi Festival, Spring Trip, and Spring Concert left before the end of the year.

James helped host over 3,500 visitors on UT's campus over spring break. They had their biggest event of the year today, Best of Texas, and 700 admitted students attended with their families. Work is keeping him busy as are the final two classes of his master's degree. He has 150 hours of an internship this summer and will then have a master's in Higher Education Leadership and Policy.

The kitties are back to normal after Rimsky's bout of vertigo. Rimsky went in to the vet for his yearly shots and they decided his ears needed cleaning (apparently he has very waxy ears). He was allergic to the cleaner and spent the next three days recovering. The day after his appointment, he hadn't been eating and was acting very lethargic, so when he came out to sit on my lap and his eyes were shaking back and forth and he couldn't stand up with out wobbling, I took him back to the vet. They said he had vertigo and gave him a dose of Dramamine for cats. It helped his eyes stop moving so much but he kept shaking his head and falling to one side for a few more days. He did recover, though, and is back to his usual shenanigans.

Happy Spring to everyone! May your lives allow you a few moments to stop and smell the roses (or other spring flowers if you don't have roses).

Lots of Love,
Hannah and James
 

James smelling the yummy pear-cardamom pie with almond crust

The garden after Mom and I finished. We planted: basil, oregano, mint, rosemary, eggplant, green beans, onions, peppers of all kinds (sweet and spicy), fennel, and strawberries. It wasn't time for tomatoes yet, so I hope to add those soon. And a little bit of Kansas with the windmill, which moves and changes direction with the wind.

New cars: Prius C on the left and Prius on the right

When an orchestra student has too much time on their hands...

Members of the Longhorn Band performing before the Best of Texas welcome session

Duncan comforting Rimsky