Visitors

This little guy was visiting us around dinner time the other evening...not sure the type of snake but he was quite the dinner entertainment.  He slithered up the chair, around the chair, onto the table, around the candle where he took a long break...then down the chair where he was met by Andy's broom, up and over the fence he went!  So long little snake :)

Our favorite visitors from last week were Rachel and Shelby, Claira and my best friends from Mississippi.

 It was wonderful to have them here while Andy was working in California.  We didn't do anything special just the usual.  We took William to school every morning and Shelby was always eager to see what he was going to learn that day.  

On Tuesdays we have gymnastics and lucky Shelby it was 'Bring a Friend to Gymnastics' day.  They had so much fun, in fact I got a cute little card in the mail from her today that said the balance beam was her favorite part of the trip!  
I think Rachel's favorite part of the trip besides not having to cook or clean was the pools.  Everyday we visited one of our neighborhoods pools.  

She and her belly baby (Rachel is due with baby girl #2 Oct. 5) just floated around while the 4 kids swam, splashed, and wore themselves out.

One evening we went out to dinner, lucky me!, and then enjoyed some delicious ice cream 
while listening to live Jazz play in the plaza.

Good times were had by all! 

GoodNight AbyKate

Since we've been home

Since we've been home from vacations Wil has started summer school and is loving it!  They do lots of experiments, crafts, gardening, games and he has made a new friend, Ben, whom he enjoys playing soccer with during Recess. And today when I went to pick him up both boys were so excited to tell me about how they got to hold a tarantula and told me to listen very closely and I'll hear the cockroach hiss!  I didn't hear the cockroach hiss, because before I got the chance they began to tell me about how when they held him he had sticky feet and when you hold them upside down they don't fall off.  Boys!  I would never hold a cockroach...maybe the furry tarantula but NOT the roach!

Claira got a new hair do!  

and AbyKate has been working hard on perfecting her walking skills...check her out!

Austin/San Antonio Family Trip

What is more fun for kids then cousins and water? NOTHING! We Meet Andy's sister and family at their parents house outside of Austin. We had ideas of fun things to go do but ended up doing very little because all the kids wanted to do was play together. Everytime we thought they might be getting tired of playing "Mommy Kitty Cat/ Baby Kitty Cat" or "Dinosaur Tag" they would change it up and run off again. In the afternoons they let us take them swimming at the neighborhood pool where they would use every last ounce of energy they had to do cannon balls or play 'King of the Waterfall'.
After a few fun filled days at Grandma and Grandpa's we went to the Hyatt Regency Hill Country. We had done this trip 3 years ago and I thought we had a good time then...this time was even better. There is a lot of family activites to do at the resort. They had pools, more pools, a lazy river,
bike rentals, horse carrage rides, smores, tire swing,

hamock, playground, movies on the grass, and lets not forget Matthew's favorite the hourly games. We made Ice Cream & ate ice cream,

Played 'Family' Kickball,

sponge tag,

GIANT twister, potato sack race
Ping-Pong
Critter Coral,

and got to have our bodies painted.


If there was an activity Matthew made sure we did it, this was one of those times we wished he couldn't read. It was an exausting trip and poor AbyKate is the only one out of the 5 kids who still takes naps, not that the others didn't NEED a naps. The sweet little baby slept anywhere and everywhere...while eating dinner,
before dinner even came,
on the pool chair

and even IN the pool!

She was great little trooper, all the kids were.

Thank you Grandma & Grandpa for Everything.

And She's Off!

For the past two weeks or so we have seen Aby take a step every now and then but, it seemed accidental.  Today it was clear that she now means business.

While at the floor store she stood up from sitting without holding on to anything.  Just stood up!  

Then while picking up the play room she let go of the table and took a step to the couch.  

After brushing her teeth she let go of Andy, took a step and stayed standing!

Then to finish off the day she let go of a stool and took two solid steps before reaching me!

Its hard to believe. She is so little to be cruising around so much...but she has the older two monsters to keep up with.

Rocking Rose Ranch 2009

The kids and I spent the past 8 days having a little vacation at Nana and Papa's house.  It was relaxing but not very restful.  The kids had me going from one activity to another.  If we weren't swimming, horse back riding, or riding the motorcycle then we were off playing with the dogs or eating.  I have to say I could not have made it through the trip if I didn't have help from my sister and parents.  One kid wanted to do one thing, the other wanted to do something else.  It was fun, and I have to say it sure was nice to not have to worry about all the meals, laundry, or cleaning!

I have to say my favorite parts of the trip besides not having daily house chores to do, was getting to see all my friends/family and going wine tasting.

I don't get out without the kids much and if I do it is to the grocery store!  I know I am so pathetic, but really I love being with my kids and hubby so I don't think about going out without them.  But since Andy wasn't there and the kids were out numbered by Adults (6:3) I left with no reservation, it was great!  

William says his favorite part of Nana & Papa's house was riding the three-wheeler... 

(thank you Uncle Wess for bring that machine back to life.  It was special and brought back so many memories)

...and Shamis

.

Claira's favorite activity was swimming in the pool.  And yes people she can swim!  Some who know her well are not shocked by this new skill or her desire to learn but to see such a little monster kick and scoop like that is High-Five worthy!

I think Aby's favorite part of the trip was either the dogs, the swing or Michael.  She has a thing for this guy!  It was funny/cute.  She is not normally eager to leave my arms but she made him hold her every chance she got.  At first I thought she had a thing for Randy and that Claira was going to have to share her boy friend but when Michael got there it was clear she had eyes for him.  

I personally feel like they are forgetting many other fun things we did while were there. Here is a short list...

There was the dinosaur egg we for breakfast.  Yeah, Papa and Nana told the kids that they had dinosaurs that lived in the mountains and that they found this egg! (it was an Ostrich egg from a farm).  If the story of dinosaurs in the mountains wasn't enough to ruin the whole lesson in extinction I had taught them, then the dinosaur siting off hwy 101 did the trick.  Yes, there is a metal T-Rex out in one of the vineyards as you drive north on 101 and from that distance Wil was certain it was real!

We went Blueberry Picking

Watched Nana trot her stuff in the local Santa Ynez Days celebration

Wil saw this and asked, "Mama is that a Turkey?" yes, to which he replied "YUMMY!"

There was georgous dinners on the patio.  

Too many treats from soda, to "Pedro Donuts". 

A visit to the QuickSilver Ranch -- Home to the smallest horses where we got to see a 2 day old colt.

Some extermination of a bee hive that had taken over a barrel on my Mom's waggon.  This was actaully a very event.  Randy and I put on our jackets along with the hoods, took aim with some spay and I stuffed a sock in the hole, then when it was all over we both did the creepy dance.  Those bees were agressive! I am amazied neither one of use got stung.

The kids learned to do a CANNON BALL!  

Here is a little montage of the rest of our wonderful trip to the Rocking Rose Ranch (which, by the way is for sale!  Anyone interested in a beautiful 5 acre ranch in Santa Ynez Valley).  

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Mini-Olympics 2009

Today was Mini-Olympics at Gymnastics.  They were so exited to 'show' Mommy all they have learned.  Ummm, yes I am always there watching but I got to go on the floor to take their picture so it was special.  Here are my excited little gymnasts!

Jumping...anyone for a seat drop?

more Jumping!

Check out Claira's front roll on the Balance Beam!!!

That is some serious balance.  This is her favorite apparatus 

(it is scary high for Mama to watch)

Wil loves the Foam Pit

Bars
And the rings!
My cute little Monkey :)

So proud of all their effort.  

Every week they try their very best.