Science Museum Fun

We visited the local science museum today. They have a great imaginary play area. The kids favorite thing is the kid-sized grocery store complete with carts, food, and cash registers with scanners. It's pretty cool. I would have loved it as a kid too. Katherine liked driving in the pretend ambulance. There were cool dinosaur bones and a HUGE light bright too. Very nice indoor outing for a hot summer day in Texas! When we got home the older 2 jumped in our little backyard pool while Kat napped. Apparently it needed the little tykes car in it for that added level of fun (photo below). ;-) Notice in the pool picture that the bamboo behind the kids is half cut down. We are in process of attempting to rid our yard of the bamboo forrest that has taken over. It will likely be a project that spans into the fall season...but one that will be conquered, none the less!

New Camera & the Swim Park

Joel is a photographer, a good one too. He has several awesome cameras, with amazing lenses. They rock. They take great photos. They are also large & expensive. To get a good photo from them it helps to know what you are doing (f-stops, aperture, etc.) I do not have that particular set of knowledge and it makes me a bit nervous to handle these prized possessions of Joel's anyway. So, I've always had my own no bells & whistles, small, simple little digital point-and-shoot. However, last year, while celebrating our anniversary no less, I dropped this great little camera & broke it. Permanently. No fixing. I was sad.

So for the last year I have really missed my little camera. Especially when a great photo op arose during a normal day with the kids. Recently we've been able to replace the camera for me. Joel did a TON of research & found a great little one that is **drop proof** and bonus: waterproof too. So....when we took our first trip to the local swim park this summer the camera got to come along too! Here are 3 of my favorite shots of the kids having fun in the water & sun. Looks like this new little camera & I are going to get along just fine. Thanks, Joel!

Zoo Day

We braved the Texas heat today to visit the local zoo with Grandma. It was a good time. Katherine usually rides around in the stroller & checks everything out in chilled-out style. Today she wanted to get out and become a part of the exhibits. She LOVED the herpetarium. I think she would have gotten in the tanks with the snakes and other reptiles if she could have. With Katherine out of the stroller Jonathan quickly requested to ride in it (pretty smart little guy). Here are a few photos from our outing.

First Grade

Emily had a great teacher this year for first grade. We were so pleased that Em was placed in her class. Last week she emailed me a link to all the photos she took in the classroom over the year. I ordered a few & thought I'd share. It's pretty neat to get to peek inside the classroom to get a small glimpse of Emily's days in school.

The classroom - it was a jungle theme

Who doesn't love a good painting session?

Thanksgiving feast

One happy first grader!

Bug Lover

Jonathan LOVES bugs. Loves, loves them! He even told me one day that he likes to find bugs so he can protect them & make sure they are safe. When we take walks in our neighborhood he will often request a bowl to take along to collect all the doodle bugs he finds. I'm not too big on the bug thing, but since having a boy I'm slowly warming up to the idea. I can at least appreciate that HE thinks they are amazing. One day while weeding our little flower bed I pulled up a deep weed & up came a long garden snake. I held back my freak out scream & instead told Jon to check out the cool snake I'd found. We had to make sure we put him somewhere safe so Jon knew the snake would be OK before we went back inside.

Last Sunday on the way into church he found a doodle bug on the sidewalk. I told him it was OK to pick it up & bring it in with us. He spent the first half of church watching it & playing with it. I love this picture. He really enjoyed his time with his new friend. The bug did end up crawling away, probably under the seat. So we left him in the sanctuary to enjoy the air conditioning. Maybe we'll find him waiting for his 4 year old friend again this Sunday. I'm trying to take in his wide-eyed fascination with the world around him while it's still so fresh and big. I know as he grows, the world will loose some of it's wonder and awe, but for now it's refreshing to see it through his eyes.

Field Day

Emily had her field day at school last week. Here are two pics from the festivities. She had a blast & it was fun watching her & her classmates too!

Bittersweet

Clara Lou Byrd
October 28, 1928 - May 8, 2011

My grandma just passed away Sunday. She told me on several occasions how she liked to follow my blog. It's only appropriate that I include one now of her. Grandma was the kind of woman with a great smile and laugh who was not afraid to tell you how it was. Not in a mean spirit, just how it was. I really liked that about her. Growing up all my grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins lived right here and Grandma always made sure we stayed close as a family. She organized family birthday dinner celebrations, camp outs, even group family vacations. She was even brave enough to let all the girl cousins have a sleep over at her house - all 5 of us at once! She set a great example to me of what a matriarch should be and she will be missed.

She was always there for any accomplishment, dance recital or school function. I remember as a child making cookies with her in her green kitchen and playing Yahtzee to practice math skills. There is something magical about a granparent's house. It's not your home, but it feels almost that way. It was sad when my granparent's moved out of the house I knew as a child & again when my other grandma passed away & her house was gone as well. This occasion feels similar to me. Grandma's passing marks the last of my grandparents here on Earth. It feels very heavy in a way - that that generation has moved on.

But, I do know this: that I will one day see her again and that she is very content where she's at up in heaven right now. I remember at Grandpa's funeral a letter was read that Grandma wrote. In it she said how she looked forward to the day when Grandpa would take her on long leisurely drives in the country again. Well, now she has that opportunity. So, I'll see you again one day Grandma. Thanks so much for the example you set & for loving us all so well.

Grandma & Grandpa on their wedding day

Playing Yahtzee with Grandma

With Emily...

Jonathan...

and Katherine