Friday, October 31, 2008

Walking!

For proof see the video!


Thursday, October 30, 2008

Halloween!

What a week!

Saturday - Moss Haven Elementary (our local elementary school) Carnival

Sunday - trunk or treat at Oak Lawn UMC, go Lindsey Hurst, incredible organizer!

Monday - turned 34....

Tuesday - carnival at Oak Lawn UMC Center for Child Development, Madeleine's school

Wednesday - trunk or treat at Lake Highlands UMC with Kristin and our 4 kids

Thursday - trick or treating and games at our local Kroger


It has been such fun and the kids have slept great all week!

Here is Everett in a peanut costume at Sunday night's trunk or treat.






Big News: Tomorrow our mac mini arrives!
And tomorrow I will document Everett and his walking! 6 steps today!

Monday, October 27, 2008

Turning 34...

So, I am 34 years old as of today ...

Things to note:
For a few months I am older than Lee!

I have known Lee for half of my life (we met at 17 years old when we both attended Science and Summer Camp at Trinity University, yes we met at science camp!)

What a blessing to be alive! God is good!

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Update

Well, the computer is broken again...

BUT exciting things happened today! We early voted (I love early voting) and I was so amazed. There was a line! We waited about 15 minutes. I have never seen a line before! It was so exciting!

And I discovered an amazing product. Oxyclean! Powder form is what was recommended to me to remove stains from children's clothing and ... it works wonderfully!

And my favorite Madeleine saying of the day is, "Mommy, am I allergic to warm fruit snacks?" Some of Madeleine's classmates have allergies so Madeleine now asks if she is allergic to, well.. everything that she eats!

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Favorite pictures lately


sisters

cousins

cousins

Madeleine's pumpkin frog princess that she made in her art class


all the cousins



Madeleine at her favorite activity the 2nd time that we went to the State Fair of Texas this year. I've never gone 2 times in one year!

We should enroll Madeleine in a very good driver's ed program as evidenced below in a movie of her driving in her pink car.



Everett loves to sit

in drawers or on his new chair from Grandma and Grandpa (my dad and stepmom)



The haircut

I fixed the computer! My brother-in-law Andy told me about system restore in Windows XP that takes your computer back to how it was before it installed something. So, Norton... I think that you were the culprit! Anyway, here's the haircut...

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

When the computer dies...

Well, our computer will no longer connect to the internet or recognize the USB port that I plugged into in order to download photos... The culput is either 1) norton 2009 update 2) picassa 3 update 3) an old computer

So... in verbal form, here is what has been happening!

Everett is so close to walking! He loves to stand and cruise everywhere although he still holds on. He has taken a few steps from furniture to other furniture, but nothing confident yet...

Madeleine has been saying some notable things lately! I don't know if it is from her classmates or if she is just listening more. She has been saying things like, "Oh, man," "that's a bummer," and other funny things.

Tonight I got my hair cut!! I have been growing it out FOREVER to donate it to locks of love and tonight was the night! It is now at my chin and I can't wait to use a tiny amount of shampoo.

Lee is planning on shortly running a half marathon! He has been training with the Dallas Running Club and Nov. 2 is fast approaching!

Photos soon... as soon as the computer gets fixed or ... you know... Lee's dreams come true and we purchase a mac...

And yeah for the new laptop from Oak Lawn United Methodist Church!

Saturday, October 11, 2008

The family!


Oak Lawn UMC is getting a new church directory, so we got a family photo. This picture was taken at the end of August but I was just recently able to scan it.

Friday, October 10, 2008

Going to plano on the train!

What an adventure we had today! I read about storytime at a railway museum in Plano so I thought it would be a fun trip. I thought it would be fun if my first time on Dart rail, the public transportation train in Dallas, was also the kid's first time! So, I drove 5 minutes to the Forest station where the red line was and got all of our gear out. I had a stroller for Everett and a backpack full of necessities for the kiddos. And Madeleine had her big Dora. I go to purchase my ticket, kids under 5 are free, and the machine only takes cash. No credit or debit cards. I never have cash. I go to the other machine, same machine... Ummm.... well, good thing I borrowed money from Lee this morning. So, I put in my $20 bill and get 17 dollar coins back. 17. My wallet now weighs 5 pounds.
So, if I were to compare the Dallas train system to England so far, England is ahead, their machines took credit cards!

Next, we take the elevator to where the train is, I don't remember England having many elevators, score one for Dallas. We are tied 1-1.

So, we are on the platform and the signage is inadequate, which side of the track goes north? Where is a printed schedule? It takes me a while but I find a schedule, I figure I will get on the train heading north. Kids are happy.




The train arrives, the door opens, and there are 3 huge stairs! How am I going to get up those with a stroller? PANIC! Adrenaline kicks in and I lift the stroller (with Everett in it) up the HUGE stairs and Madeleine walks up the stairs on her own. Those stairs were huge. That was crazy!!! Big advantage England, I don't remember any stairs to get onto the car of the train!


Okay, heart is calming down, I find a map telling me how many stops it is to downtown Plano. Relax. Put break on stroller because train is going as fast as the cars on the freeway!



We finally arrive in Plano, I somehow get off the train with a 1 year old in a stroller and a 4 year old carrying this big Dora doll. I look for signs directing me to well, anything. Nothing. I decide to head east... I run into the city of Plano building, and yes, there are more stairs to get into the building! How do the handicapped do it? I get in and am told that I headed the wrong way from the train. Okay. Head back to the train and go the other way. I see it, the railway museum! It's 10:28, storytime is 10:30, we are going to make it.

It is all worth it, storytime is amazing. The storyteller sang songs with the kids, played instruments, read books, had a puppet, Madeleine and Everett loved it! We walk around the tiny museum, watch the small train, and head outside to the Farmer's Market that is across the street, then to a great park that is next to the trainstop. Now, back to the train. I know about the steps, but I am now pooped! The train comes; I can't do it, all of a sudden an angel appears, she is a 76 year old woman (I learn later) but she helps me carry the stroller up the steps. I thought it would be easier if I had Everett in my arms and hoisted the stroller up the steps but I couldn't do it, the steps were too steep. We had a great time, and I have a greater appreciation for the British rail though I am glad that Dallas has a rail!

Getting to be a pro!

Everett LOVES to slide and has got it down!





He's becoming much more sure of himself standing as well. Just in the last couple of days he will be sitting and then he will stand up on his own, not holding onto anything. He loves walking behind his walker, though of course as soon as I started to tape it, he stopped!

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Sunday, October 5, 2008

Everett is One!

How did that happen so fast? It just seems like yesterday...

We had a great party celebrating the 1st year of Everett's birth, the older kids played on the bounce house, and Everett wanted to play outside as well...

And he LOVED his cupcake! (made by his sister)





after the cupcake, he was a little messy...

Friday, October 3, 2008

The State Fair of Texas!

My favorite State Fair memories this year are:
1. It was Everett's 1st trip to the state fair, Madeleine's 3rd (though she does not remember earlier visits).
2. Eating a fried smores, that was good!
3. Madeleine eating her first cotton candy (she loved it) and going on her first roller coaster ride.
4. Madeleine and her Grandpa feeding a giraffe! (picture below)

This year we went with my dad and stepmom and it was so nice! Thank you Daddy and Phyllis!







Had to include this video, it's a kangaroo! and a moving turtle!