New Posts!

Well I am now caught up through January!  YAY!!!  We are headed on spring break vacation next week to Disneyworld.  So lots more pictures to take.  I will try to get February caught up before we leave. 

Highlights to look forward to for February

*Julia starts horse-riding lessons
*Dennis and I go to Cancun
*Alligators
*Rockets vs. Jazz

Enjoy the 5 new posts!!

My birthday in San Antonio

For my birthday, we spent the weekend in San Antonio.  We stayed at a motel on the river, which was so nice, we could just walk right out to the riverwalk and we were close to everything.  The first day we were there it rained a lot, but we were still able to do some fun things.  This is the view from our motel room.

The first day we went to the house or mirrors.  It was a maze of mirrors.  It was a lot of fun.  Sawyer was so funny.  You could see the exit from a lot of views because of the mirrors.  When Sawyer would see the exit he would run all excited to finish, right into a mirror.  It was so funny, but the best part is he would just laugh and then move on.  It was rainy, but because of that there were hardly any people there, so we could go through the mirrors again and again.  Also at the same place there was a laser maze the kids could go through it was comical as well. 

Because it was so rainy outside, it was not a lot of fun to walk around, so we spent a lot of time browsing the stores.  Julia was having fun trying on a lot of hats and choosing places to take pictures.  She picked this place for a picture. Kindof creepy, but very San Antonio-ish!

Dennis had never been to a hard rock cafe so we ate there the first day, right on the river walk.  It was good food!!

Saturday was much nicer and we were able to spend more time outside walking along the riverwalk.  I love taking walks when there are so many pretty things to see.  The riverwalk is a must go place, so if you have not been there, you should go!!

This in the first eat-outside restuarant on the riverwalk.  It is also on the front of a ton of postards for San Antonio.  So I thought it would be fun to eat here.  I will admit though, the food was only ok!  Ryan had a lot of fun teasing the ducks with food.  We had told Ryan that he should not feed the animals, but when the waitress come to bring us a new basket of chips, she threw the leftovers into the river for the ducks.  So I guess feeding the wildlife is encouraged. 

We vacationed in San Antonio two years ago and were not able to really visit the Alamo.

There were to many people there, that you had to wait in line to even get into the plave.  We did do a quick run through the last day that we were there, but were not able to really read about and enjoy the place.  So we went ahead a made it there this time and was really able to enjoy it.  Well Dennis did a lot of enjoying, I do not really love history type things, but there were a lot of pretty things to look at.  And it was so nice outside, I was able to enjoy the weather.

All in all, it was a grand trip.  I am excited to go back soon.  I love that we live so close that we can visit often!

USS TEXAS

Another day trip during the break.  Some friends invited us to go to the USS Texas monument.  I will admit, I would not have chosen this activity myself, so I am glad we were invited because it was a nice place and the kids really enjoyed it.  I am really not into history, but I am sure that Dennis would like this place, so we will go back with him sometime.  We also went to the San Jancito monument this day, but I guess I was done taking pictures.  There was a very nice museum there.

On the ship deck you could climb on and play with everything.  I thought that was nice and the boys really liked pretending to shoot the big guns!!!

Under the deck, you could tour the insides of the ship.  It was like a museum, lots of displays and information all over.  The kids like the bunks the most!

The groups of friends that we went with!

A view from the fromt of the ship on deck!!

Bowling

During the holiday break, we went bowling.  There is a website called Groupon, I am pretty sure that it is for other places besides Houston, but anyhow, the website will send out daily deals to various places.  This was one deal- 2hours of bowling, shoe rental and soda for 6 people, and I think it was only like $20.  We were able to get in 2 games each, but if you are faster bowlers, you might be able to get in more games.  There are great deals with groupon, we have taken advantage of about 5, check it out, you might find some great deals for your area.  Anyhow, bowling was a lot of fun, Julia was able to get a strike so she was really happy!!We all had fun and this particualr bowling alley was very nice, but I will admit, I miss the less nice one in Wyoming, simply because no one could smoke!!!!!

THE GIRLS!!!

THE GUYS!!!

Painting

There is a fun place here, where you pick out a shape and then paint it and they put a nice glossy finish on it and you get to bring it home.  The kids were in heaven.  Ryan picked a 3-D mountian goat, Julia picked a huge butterfly and Sawyer picked spiderman's head.  Of course Sawyer would pick this, since at this time, if you asked him what his name was he would reply, "spiderman".  To funny!  I guess that I did not take any finished pictures, so I will have to remember to do that, since they are hanging up in there rooms. 

Nature center

The kids had two full weeks for Christmas break from school. The weather was beautiful and we were able to do a lot of fun things.  One thing that we did was go to the Nature Center here in Houston.  There was a little interactive kids center, which the kids had a lot of fun learning about houston animals.  Then we took a long walk on the trails in the park. 

The funnest thing was seeing this armadillo.  It was just right there next to the trail.  Ryan spotted it and was so happy, he had to tell all the other hikers around us about it.  Armadillos are really cute, and we ended up seeing three that day.  The only other animals that we saw were squirrels and fish.  I guess there in normally more animals to see, but it was cold, so they were all hibernating. 

This is such a cute picture of Julia and Sawyer.  Julia is constantly taking care of Sawyer, showing him how to do things, teaching him things and just playing so nicely with him.

6 New posts

Well after a long time, I finally put up a 6 posts.  This gets us through most of 2009.  I will add a funny story here.  One key thing to remember when reading this story is that Ryan just turned 9 in December, remember 9. 

The other day Dennis and I were having a casual conversation with Ryan about his increase of back talking recently.  We were telling him it was not appropriate and wondering what he thought we should do about it.  His reply, "well it is kindof of normal, since I am a pre-teen now!!"  I just had to laugh out loud and then remind him that he is not a pre-teen until one week before he turns 13.  Kids will think the funniest things!!!

Precious Sawyer

With some of their Chirstmas money, Julia and Sawyer purchased this fur-real pet jaguar.  Sawyer loves Diego and his jaguar, so he was really excited.  I was so surprised when I saw how cute he was with the little stuff animal.  He was so gentle and kept asking us what he was suppose to do for his baby.  The animal kept crying and Sawyer was getting sad that he was not doing the right thing for it.  It was way too precious!!

New Years Eve Celebration

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Celebrating the New Year just seems to get crazier, as in stupider, the older I get.  We torment ourselves to stay up, and our children, way later then we even want to, just to wear silly hats and say, "Happy New Year!"

Even Julia said, "That's it!"  She thought it was dumb to stay up all the time and not even do something fun.  I guess we need to figure out more fun things to do!!

I know I am a mean mom to dress him up in his sleep, just for a picture.  He is soo cute though!!  Sawyer, obviously, did not make it to midnight.  Julia was wishing she had joined him.  The funny part is when all was said and done, the kids asked if they could watch a movie!! 

Julia's birthday celebration

For her birthday, Julia wanted to go back to the children's museum.  Since Grandma Updike gave us a season pass there, Thank you thank you, I thought that it was a great idea to go back. 

This is such a cute picture of Julia.  She wrote 2010 on her head in the mirror.  She could not understand what I was laughing at when she showed it to me.  Even when I tried to explain it to her it did not make sense. She would listen to me and then look in the mirror and not understand.  It was not until I took the picture and had her look at the picture that she finally understood my laughing.  Thankfully she was able to laugh about it as well.

One of the activiteis that day at the museum was to make new years eve hats.  So here we are in all our glory!!

There is this really cool stop sign when you leave the museum.  Upon entering the museum everyone gets a colored sticker and then when they leave they put it on this stop sign.  So of course, since we did not know the first time and had already thrown our stickers in the trash, we added our stickers to the working piece of art. 

Happy #7 Julia

Here is my beautiful 7 year old.  She wanted a cookie cake for her birthday, Julia does not like cake.  In fact she really does not like sweets that often and will choose a healthy snack.  Not something she learned form me.  She is in first grade, and is a super good reader.  She likes being social and loves PE at school.  She is a great helper at home and is a usually very nice to her brothers.  We sure love her!!!

Julia was lucky to open her present from Dennis early.  Dennis's grandpa passed away and so was going to be out of town for her birthday so, so she got to open a present early.

Dennis has created this very annoying tradition to open presents in the morning, usually before he goes to work, it is always way earlier then I want to be out of bed.  The boys like this tradiaiton, but us girls, well not so much.  I was really excited that he was not going to be here this year, so we could sleep in.(no school either)  To my surprise, Julia wanted me to wake her up early to open presents.  I guess tradition is better then sleep!!!  For her birthday she got a desk, decorations for her room and a bed for her doll!

Christmas!!!!

Christmas, as always, was a lot of fun.  Sawyer woke up at about 4am and tried to go back to sleep.  After awhile we hear him crying and go up to his room. He was crying because he could not go back to sleep and was afraid that Santa would not come if he did not go to sleep.  He was so sad that we went ahead and told him that Santa had already came and let them get up.  All the way down the stairs Sawyer was so happy because he saw gator golf.  He had originally asked Santa for a stage, and later he changed his mind to gator golf, but we never actually saw Santa again for him to ask, so he was really worried that Santa would not know.  So he was super excited that Santa knew to bring him gator golf.  I must say that Santa was super thrilled to be bringing him gator golf instead of a stage! 

Here is Sawyer with all his loot!  He was really tired and did not want to pose for a picture, to busy playing with all his new stuff?

Julia with all her loot.  She asked Santa for a bird in a cage, a beach in her backyard and something that will keep boys out of her room.  Even though she lacked the above mentioned items on Christmas morning she was really happy.  She was suprised that Santa knew what she wanted, even though she did not tell him the stuff she got.  Santa is so smart.

It sure looks like Santa loves Ryan alot!!  He got some fun big toys this year.  He is growing up tooo fast. 

His lack of belief in the big red guy has not made it as fun.  But he is cute trying to let us know is beliefs without letting Julia in on it.  He does not do a very good job, though.  

Everyone enjoying their gifts.

Dennis got each of the kids nerf guns for Christmas.  I am not sure who enjoys them more.  What do you think?

Christmas Eve

One tradition that is always easy to keep and do is Pj's on Christmas Eve.  Both Dennis and I had this same tradition as children and our children come to expect it as well.  They always say, "we get to open one present on Christmas Eve and it is always jammies!"  I use to buy matching Pj's for them all, but realized that they are more happy when it is a pair that they really like.  So recently I have purchased ones that fit their own taste.  Ryan has sports ones that are not to babyish.  Julia has a pretty purple nightgown, with sparkles.  Sawyer has buzz light year jammies, that even have cool cape features. 

Christmas Eve was quiet and nice.  We opened our jammies, read the Christmas story in the bible, watched a movie together and put out cookies for Santa.  Sawyer was so excited for the morning and had a hard time sleeping. 

I love this picture,(even though is is not a great quality picture)!  Children make every holiday, actually every day, so much better. 

Williams Christmas party

Dennis's company had a grand party for the kids for Christmas.  They went to the children's museum here is Houston.  Let me tell you, it is so awesome, it is huge, and has tons of stuff for all ages, even Dennis and I. 

Kidtropolis, an amazing mimic of a adult world.  So amazing,  Julia and Sawyer loved it here, especially the restaraunt.

Williams had a backdrop up and took a picture of the family.

Ryan participating in one of the many craft opportunities.

Being silly!!

Outside water play.  Ryan loving building with these pipes.

"Mom, no more pictures!!" 

Little chemists! or whatever scientist field this falls under!

How strong am I?  Not sure who thought this was more fun.  I wonder if there is a weight limit on this child's toy?  Glad Dennis was having fun!

Did I mention that Dennis was having fun!!

Face painting, a fun family activity!

We will defiantely be coming back.  There was not enough time to even do all that we wanted, let alone spend a lot of time doing it!  These pictures are just a few of the many things that we were able to do.  If you have kids or are a kid at heart, this is a must visit for you!!