Summer Fun

It's that time again! Swimming lessons.

D has been taking lessons since she was four so this is her 6th summer of lessons.

C has been a really good boy to sit in his stroller and watch the big kids.

July 4th

The kids are still feeling a little puny, Daddy's got it now too - poor Daddy. Mommy is getting better but still not best.

Aunt D sent the kids some July 4th shirts (along with some other goodies) so I took some pix this morning after they finished feeding the rabbit.

I broke down and bought C some of the new Huggies diapers that look like blue jeans. They're really pretty cute, I think.

Edited: REVIEW OF HUGGIES BLUE JEAN DIAPERS

Yes, they're cute and C liked them. Thumbs down on absorbancy. We went through them really quick because we were changing lots of diapers. We're back to our regular old Luvs size 4. We love Luvs.

Here is C giving the baby a "kiss."

Here is Mommy trying to get a picture of the cute diaper.

This is what most pictures end up looking like when trying to get a picture of our little Taz! Thank goodness for digital cameras where we can take oodles of pictures in order to get ONE good one!

We're making homemade vanilla ice cream right now, the machine is sounding like it's almost ready!

Home from Vacation

We originally had planned to go to the Gulf Shores area for vacation, but had to change our plans about 6 weeks ago, due to the oil spill. We decided to go on a cruise to someplace with a beach. We cruised out of New Orleans to Progreso, Yucatan and Cozumel. It was fun, but a little harder with a toddler and all the "stuff" a toddler requires. But we made great family memories! Here are some pictures ...


ON OUR WAY! NEW ORLEANS, HERE WE COME JUST 6 HOURS TO GO!

D, THE FIRST TIME SHE FIGURED OUT JACOB'S LADDER!

FATHER'S DAY DINNER AT LANDRY'S SEAFOOD IN THE FRENCH QUARTER. I guess the pink hue is from all the neon lights.


OUR LITTLE CAJUN'S FIRST TASTE OF BEIGNET FROM CAFE DU MONDE IN THE FRENCH QUARTER. HE LOVED IT!! NOW, WE'RE ON OUR WAY TO THE CRUISE PORT!!

IN OUR CABIN ON THE CARNIVAL TRIUMPH, RIVIERA DECK #1230. WE WEREN'T REQUIRED TO WEAR OUR LIFE VESTS TO THE MUSTER DRILL, BUT THE KIDS WANTED TO TRY THEM ON ANYHOW.

BYE BYE NEW ORLEANS, WE'RE ON OUR WAY - HOOOOOOONNNNNNKKKKK!!!!


FORMAL NIGHT IN THE PARIS DINING ROOM.

D IN THE ROME LOUNGE WITH HER CAMP CARNIVAL GROUP. THE SHOW WAS REALLY GOOD! C WAS WONDERFUL THROUGHOUT THE SHOW, IT MESMERIZED HIM.

SHOPPING IN PROGRESO. IS THAT HANNAH MONTANA??!!

MY GORGEOUS BEACH BABY!

MY BEAUTIFUL LITTLE MERMAID!

BURYING SISTER IN THE SAND. WE DIDN'T GET TOO FAR.


MOMMY AND C IN THE POOL AT THE REEF CLUB BEACH RESORT PROGRESO.




D AT CHANKANAAB PARK IN COZUMEL HOLDING A PARROT AND AN IGUANA ON HER SHOULDER!

C WASN'T SO SURE ABOUT THE PARROT.

MOMMY AND D SWAM WITH AND RODE ON TITAN THE DOLPHIN!

D RIDING THE ZONKEY IN COZUMEL.

MOMMY AT LUNCH IN THE PARIS DINING ROOM ON THE LAST FULL DAY AT SEA.

C WITH OUR WONDERFUL WAITER, JAYA, FROM INDONESIA.



D OUTSIDE THE DINING ROOM WITH THE PICTURE OF MOSCOW IN THE BACKGROUND.

ON OUR WAY HOME FROM NEW ORLEANS. 'NUFF SAID.

D's new "do"

D got her hair cut yesterday. She loves it! Mommy and Daddy think it's real cute, too.

Watch Extreme Home Makeover Tonight!

Tonight's episode of Extreme Home Makeover features a family originally from our small town in East Texas. They now live about an hour away. They have adopted several special needs children from Kazahkstan. Here is a link to a report about the show and the family.

TAKS TEST DAY FOR D

Today D will take her first State Standardized Test which is called the TAKS test in Texas. 3rd grade is the first time it's given. She was a good bit nervous last night.

The kids are supposed to eat a good, big breakfast on TAKS test day. So, I made her favorite pancakes and bacon. Since today is the math portion of the test, her pancakes were shaped like a plus and minus sign. I also made two dots (not pictured, they were still on the griddle) to turn the minus into a division sign. She could look at the plus sign sideways for the multiplication sign, so she was covered!

Pictures of D

Well, they're not the best example of my photography, but here we go.

I took them before we left to take D to Sunday School and the sun was so bright. We were going to take more when she got home from church, but she came straight in and changed into play clothes so we didn't get more in her pretty dress.

Sick?

Well, we're home this morning with Mr. C having the yucky nose/cough sickies. He's still going and playing, but we can't go to church nursery like this and I really do not think he'd make it through the church service in my arms at this active, noisey age!

Anyhow, this is what Mr. C was up to this morning:

p.s. Pictures of sister coming later. We tried taking some this morning in her pretty dress before Sunday School, but the sun was too bright.

Silly Boy

Last night while cleaning in D's room, D and I were busy doing something and I looked over and saw C! I whispered to D to run and get me the camera fast . . . here is what he was doing-

Riding on D's Barbie VW Bug!

Guess Who??!!

Did you think I'd fallen off the face of the earth??

I thought I'd better get on here and get some new pictures up for the g-parents!

Hunting eggs in our yard, after church on Easter.

This is the best we could do this year of getting D and C's picture together on Easter. C would NOT sit still.

C at the family Easter Egg hunt.

C with his first egg dying experience.

Here is D with Boots, her new bunny rabbit. Boots was nervous, so her ears are laying back. She has one white paw.

Our East Texas Winter Wonderland

It started snowing yesterday morning right as D left for school. It snowed all day until about 1:30 and then it stopped. This was our accumulation from that snow:



When D got home from school, she gathered the snow from the top of the picnic table and made a little snowman named Chillie Willie. . .











Chillie Willie's eyes are chocolate chips, his nose is a bit of yellow bell pepper and his mouth is red bell pepper. He is about 8 inches tall.


THEN IT BEGAN TO SNOW AGAIN about 8:00 last night and it snowed all night until D came into our room this morning at 4:30 to tell us it snowed!!!! So we looked out the window and I sent her back to bed, but she never fell back asleep. So we were out and playing in it this morning about 6:45!!



We got about 5 1/2 inches. This is a HUGE snow for us. The last time we had anywhere near this much snow was New Year's Eve 2000/2001.

C didn't really love the snow first thing this morning, so Daddy took him on a ride in the wagon while sister worked on Chillie's Mama, Mrs. Willie!!

Here is D with our completed Mrs. Willie.

Mrs. Willie's close-up. Here she is decked out in her apron, snow hat and a friendly smile.

D decided to see how it would be to jump on her trampoline with it covered in snow. She didn't jump long.

C warmed up to the idea of the snow a bit more as the morning went along, but he still preferred to look at it from his window.