We had a Fabulous Fourth

The kiddo's watching the parade begin
...and patiently awaiting the candy!

Diamond baby with mama checking out some floats

Motorcycle man ready for the bike parade at church

O girl riding in the bike parade

Auntie Brit & Uncle Ben joined us later for some fun in the sun

Mama & O taking a break by the pool

Brit & the girls box sledding before the fireworks

Ben & O get some super speed

Daddy & the girls lost their box and kept on..."bum sledding!"

We finished the night off with some 
super awesome fireworks at the stadium

We had a super awesome 4th and fun with family...how about you?

The end of an era...

Who knew when we moved to Texas over five years ago that we'd stay this long...that we'd love it this much...and that we'd be sad to see it end.  Our upcoming move to Alabama (have I mentioned Bryce got a full time teaching position at a University there?!!) means the end of a wonderful era in our lives. We've been living in a great place here in Texas, surrounded by amazing friends with children the same ages as our own.  Somehow many of us mothers seemed to have babies around the same times and our children have grown together into fine little Texans!

Slowly many of the families have trickled off in different directions as their schooling ended. Most have remained close enough for at least an occasional visit for birthday parties etc. but suddenly and sadly it seems even this is ending for a few of us. As of the end of July we're headed for Alabama, another family leaves next week for Maine, others have possible moves in the works to California, and Idaho. And it feels like we should all pull out a yearbook of some sort and start writing each other wishes for a good life! Thank goodness for things like blogs and facebook - no one is ever too far away now. I think I'll make a pact with everyone that we at least get wedding announcements for each kid when that time comes...and I fear it will come too quickly. I could post a kazillion pictures of all the fun times we've had over the years, but these two are an indication of that fun...and of the growth we've experienced!! I really love all these people, they've made life in Texas, away from family, bearable and fun.

2007
I was amazed to look back and
see how many families had not yet joined the throng!

2011
Our numbers have grown...and even here we are missing a few families!

Our Little Scientist

The Scientific Snackie boy 
with Ogirl at his school fair

When you ask a 5 year old what they want to do for a science project, their answers aren't the typical, "potato battery" or "volcano" kinda deal. Five year olds, have uncorrupted minds, they have no science class experience, and don't even know what "science" really means. So the list of ideas Snacker gave us was very creative and unusual to say the least!  We had to narrow that list down to one project that would meet the scientific experiment qualifications, and so "Cloud Cannon" (as Snacker called it) was the project of choice. Bryce helped narrow the idea down to a workable project - what Snack really wanted to know was if he could be shot into a cloud and walk on it...like Mario does! So the topic of exploration was "Can People Float on Clouds?"

Bryce has the scientific mind in this house, so he figured out how to make a cloud (pumping air into a soda bottle with a bit of water at the bottom, then releasing the cap for a cloud to form). From there they dropped small objects into the cloud to test if they would float. Lego guys, leaves, candies, paper clips...nothing floated, so the conclusion, of course, is that if smaller lighter objects are unable to float a larger object, like a human, would not float.

Then, using their creative minds and abilities, Snacker and Bryce (with a little help from O-girl) created a beautiful display for the science board, and the project was ready for the "fair" (apparently science fairs don't exist anymore....you bring the project to school, it's judged...and you're done, no fair fun involved!). Well, our super scientist took 2nd place in the Kindergarten category at his school, and apparently the judges were very impressed during his interview, as everyone had wonderful things to say about him.

Receiving his award
at the District Fair

From there the 1st and 2nd place winner in each grade advance to the District Science Fair - which was held this month. Snackie was nervous as can be...he wasn't sure he could win another award! This fair included the winners from all of the schools in the district, so Snacker was competing against kindergarteners from 15 schools, and they don't just hand out awards willy nilly for this thing! We sat in the audience with Snackie saying, "oh please, I hope I win, I really want a trophy, oh please, oh please!" Can you imagine how nervous I was for him!!!?? We waited and waited and listened to all sorts of awards being given, and then....much to my relief
, and Snacker's excitement, his name was called!!! He won the award for a "Unique Topic of Exploration." Could it be more perfect?! His idea was completely original, and entirely his own. As his totally unbiased mother, I'm certain he could have won any number of awards that day, but this award speaks to his creativity and originality (he's just like his daddy) and we're so proud of him!!

Yearbook photo of the winners from his school

Flood of 2011

This year couldn't begin without incident...and in this household incident usually means a pipe bursting and a flood of some sort. We are jinxed in that way for some reason! This is our 4th official flooding since living in Texas...official meaning we were actually wading in water. We've also had unofficial floods caused by rain storms, where the carpets get wet and ruined, and our life gets turned upside down, but there's no swimming involved. This time the water spigot outside froze, and the pipe in the kids closet burst, and we all had a fun slip sliding time! HA! I guess the kids would call it fun, but Bryce and I call it something else entirely!!  I like to say this flood was "less bad than it could have been." And I guess that could mean many things, but for us it meant only half the house was flooded. We opened the front door and let the water rush out, so it didn't seep all the way through the living room and into the kitchen and master bedroom. But the kids room, bathroom, half the living room, and Bryce's studio all were sitting in a couple inches of water.

We're now in recovery mode, which means the carpets are drying out, and we're waiting for the carpet guys to come replace the pads so we can get our house put back together! It's an awful limbo. We are functioning, but barely. And people are doing their best to help us out however possible, so we'll make it through! (Plus I get to do some early spring cleaning....joy!)

As you can imagine I didn't get to snap many pics while
the flood was happening, but here's one, that sticker
is floating in the kids room

This used to be a bathroom...now it's Bryce's studio ;)
Maybe we should keep it this way!

The dry half of the house bears the burden of everything
from the wet half. And we're left with very few feet of space to maneuver and live! But Diamond Baby doesn't seem to mind!

Christmas 2010

Snacker was more excited to give 
than to receive...he insisted mama open first!

"Just one hug and you'll fall in love!"

Batman made a quick appearance Christmas morning

New books always bring a smile to Bryce's face!

Diamond baby got a little gift opening help 
from her 80's rockstar/princess sister.
(She gets a little help playing with the toys as well!)

Snacker loves the new Wii game (and his new camo boxers).

The big ONE

Diamond baby is ONE!

 

let's try this mushy stuff

I LIKE it!

more pleeeeease!

rip it rip it rip it!

Happy Birthday to ME!

Turkey for me...turkey for you

  I like to eat turkey in a big brown shoe...

Master Chef Bryce (he did all the cooking!)
and his magnificent turkey friend

THE BEAST has been hunted. Let THE FEAST begin!

Our friends Oscar & Maria joined us
(in a Monet-esque photo??)

Auntie Brit & Uncle Ben brought the fun

Snacker and his buddy Didi enjoyed
pre-feast Power Ranger action

Our two cuties watch the floats
go by in the Parade of Lights

The turkey has been gobbled, the cold weather has set in,
we're feeling festive holiday feelings..so bring on Christmas!

Halloween....comes before Thanksgiving!

Diamond baby takes a ride at the pumpkin patch

Auntie Brit & Little O pick out pumpkins

Our chariot...and slave

Snackie pulls a wagon load

Green Power Ranger

Marshmallow S'more baby

Cat, monkey, mouse - girl?

A tasty witches potion 
at our friends party

 A delicious pumpkin stew

We had a happy Halloween, 
and we hope you did too

BOO!

Hello Kindergarten...here I come.

The day's of play and freedom are gone...forever. Our boy is a school boy, and...he LOVES it!! We were, hmmm, terrified for him to start school, worried about his young age, worried about the full day away from us, worried about him making friends, worried about him following instructions, worried about him being brave enough to ask to use the bathroom, or get a drink of water. Worried about him opening his juice box at lunch, worried about him  remembering to bring home his lunch bag, worried about...well...everything obviously!! But he's proven our fears unwarranted He's made terrific friends, he loves his teacher, he's learning wonderful things and each new day is a happy day.

Let's go!!

Laina this group shot is for you...somehow we got the same family blueprint ;)