Mini Vacation Before All Heck Breaks Loose

Before our impending move and remodel (more on that story later), we decided last minute to take a mini vacation to the Woodland's Resort this weekend. It was just a 24-hour getaway, but we had fun lounging in the pools (and at nearly 90 degrees outside..., it was warm enough to enjoy the cool water), ordering food and drinks poolside, playing in the parks on the grounds, and walking the Woodland's waterway!

Here are the kids sitting on the balcony of our room just after arriving. Our room was a few feet from the main attractions.Pool time! Below is a picture of Sophie, Harrison, and me after a race down the water slides. One of the slides was pretty fast! Bella tried it once and that was enough for her. Harrison and Sophie, however, went again and again! Emme was too small for the slide (you had to be 42 inches tall), so she had to sit at the bottom and watch.

After slide time, splash pad wars ensued. The kids were stepping on the streams with their feet, which made the uncovered streams more powerful. I think I still have water in one of my ears.Hours in the pools and on the slides worked up an appetite! Yummy smoothies were followed by mounds of greasy and salty delights -- all courtesy of someone in the room next to ours. Kidding, of course, but when we went to order poolside, Stephen couldn't remember our exact room number. After a few sideways glances from the waiter, he just gave him our last name and had them look it up in the system.

Races and games in the nearby parks rounded out our mini getaway. We are now recharged and ready for the crazy month that awaits...., at least that is what we will tell ourselves anyway!!

Fun Run, Hoedown, and Donuts

Last weekend we had fun participating in the Swing Fling, a 1 mile and 5K run and fundraiser event at Sophie and Bella's school. After the race, the kids enjoyed the games and bouncers set up on the school grounds. They got their faces and hands painted and tattooed, won cupcakes on the cupcake walk, had confetti egg fights, and got balloon animals. It turned out to be a really fun morning!

Earlier that week, Bella had her hoedown in the school's parking lot. The sun was out, as you can see from Bella's red face, but that didn't stop her class from engaging in some serious dosey-doing!

In between the hoedown and the fun run, I made a pact with Harrison that I would get him his favorite treat -- donuts -- if he got his hair cut. He agreed, and when we got to the donut shop after his haircut, he informed me that he had been so good at the haircutters that he deserved three donuts this time. I couldn't argue with his logic!

Spring Break Ups and Downs

First, the positives. We had a great day trip to our favorite Galveston beach spot, Pointe West. Every time we go there, we want to get a beach house or beach condo on the property!

And the kids had fun at a birthday party for some friends. The veritable animal zoo in the backyard kept them very entertained. Harrison enjoyed feeding the rabbits and Sophie enjoyed helping the little kids with the chicks. Thanks Hintzes!

Some fun cousin playing time and trips to parks round out the highlights.

Now for the negatives. The kids got all dressed up for the rodeo, but thanks to some illnesses in the family (a virus of some sort has made its way through us lately, spawning ear infections and coughing fits) and a seriously crowded parking lot, we never actually made it to the rodeo this year. :( Nor did we make it to the zoo over spring break, despite our efforts, due again to huge crowds and illness. And the lemonade stand the kids set up didn't exactly bring in the customers they had anticipated. But, hey, what can I say? We tried on all fronts. It just wasn't our week. At least the kids had fun and looked cute getting geared up for both. And the beach trip mostly compensated for the misses, so it worked out.

Ice Ice Baby

Well, after the weather people practically promised inches of snow on Friday, all we got was some sleet and ice. And because this part of the country is not accustomed to operating day-to-day in wintry precip, the entire city and surrounding area was basically shut down. No school and no work, but also no snow . . . so not much fun. We did try to make the best of it by having a couple of movie nights, drinking hot chocolate, popping pop corn, and collecting ice sickles and ice leaves.

Now, for those of you who know what real winter weather looks and feels like, here is a picture of the house where Stephen's family lived in Buffalo, New York when he was born. A friend of one of Stephen's brothers took the picture recently and sent it to Stephen's family as a reminder of the frigid Buffalo winters. Makes our tiny ice sickles look pathetic! But I wouldn't trade places.

Last, I am reminded of the neat and rare occurrence that took place on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day here a few years back, I think in 2004, and the snow we got in December last year. Wish that same type of snow dusting could have happened on Friday. Oh well, maybe next year. Here is a picture of the Christmas snow from 2004:

Adoption

My awesome older brother and his lovely wife have been married for almost 7 years now. Try as they have, and by try I mean extensive fertility treatments, they are unable to conceive. It has been a difficult challenge, as any of you who have been through it can attest.

After learning this last go round with fertility treatments that they will not be able to conceive a biological child, they have wholeheartedly and enthusiastically put their efforts into adopting a baby. We are all very excited for them!

Here is a link to their adoption page. Our hope and prayer is that these two special people will soon be matched with a special soul just starting out this life journey. We love you Kumen and Holly! You are a terrific uncle and aunt and will one day be terrific parents!

Nine

Sophie is 9 now..., hard to believe!! We had a fun birthday party with some of her friends after school on a Friday. After they walked home from school together, we made jewelry, decorated flip flops, ate pizza, cake and ice cream, and played "Just Dance" on the Wii. Everyone had a great time. She has some really sweet friends. One of her favorite gifts was a valentine's pillow pet. Of course Bella had to go out the next day to buy herself a pillow pet with her allowance.

A week or so later my mom and I took the kids to Chuck e Cheese for some more birthday fun.

Sophie and Bella stuck together like glue while they were at Chuck E Cheese. So nice that they use the "buddy system."

Harrison was my "buddy" for the day (nothing new there..., this kid is a mama's boy for sure). It helps that he is a little scared of Chuck E. Cheese too - he is more than happy to stick with me when we go there. Here he is scoring big on skee ball (no cheating here)! Actually, it's pretty dangerous to play next to him because you never know where the balls might go, so I thought it was probably safer for everyone involved if he got up a little closer.

Little Em was my mom's "buddy." Emme loves my mom and it's so nice to be able to pass her off for a little bit when she's around. Her favorite game was the one where you ride the big horse. She did it over and over again. Cute!

Apparently they just built a new CEC out by where my mom lives, so we are going to have to try that one out next time.

The 2010 Holidays!

How we spent the Holidays this year: many gatherings with family and friends, some at our house, some at theirs. Giving and receiving gifts galore. (Thanks, Santa, for the Wii!) Going to an old folks home on Christmas day to sing Christmas carols (well, some of us made it; others were too tuckered out from the early Christmas morning fun). Eating too much. Sleeping too little or too much, depending on the day. Rocking in the New Year with family at the Niko's (all kids made it to midnight this year)! Fun times!