Sea World

The kids first trip to any amusement park was a HUGE hit! The shows were amazing along with the rides. Alex liked the dolphins best, while Tanner got soaked watching Chamu. Matt rode (alone) the thriller upside down, dangling feet coaster, while I stuck to the Texas Splasher! It was a great day to end our vacation on.



At last we got to see our beautiful niece, Samantha. She met Elise for the first time and it was a hit!

Lovely ocean days

Beachy days.....Grandmimi continues the search for the perfect sanddollar!

Elise even enjoyed her first taste of sand. A beach beauty in the making!

We spent two days enjoying the most beautiful, warm beaches. The boys loved every minute and so did we!

Boys will be boys....they fished out these poor jellyfish that were scattered along our dock, put them in fresh water and later dissected them.

The view we woke up to every morning. Papa Frank enjoyed two loves....fishing and grandkids!

A visit to Texas

I thought I was being eaten by sea gulls!
Tanner and miss Elise with the ocean behind them.
Dad and his boys.

We recently took a few days to visit our beloved Granmimi and Granpapa and Mimi and Papa Frank in Texas. We all stayed on the bay in Rockport, Tx. It was an amazing home with a beautiful view as you can see. Our LONG plane ride was well worth it to spend time with family, see the beach, drink in the sea water and visit Sea World for the first time!

Alex's first preschool day

Alex started at Shepherd of the Valley preschool last week. His teacher had called and asked if he'd like to be the "helper" for the day and he gladly accepted. His teachers commented that he was a "calm in the storm" in the classroom. They say it's the craziest group of four year olds they've had in 16 years!


Mrs. DuVall is one of his teachers.


Alex decided he needed to know what was in the water table this week and promptly took a large lick of the material which we soon found out was salt! He bravely kept it in his mouth while we went out to rinse and spit in the sink. I don't think he'll do that again.

First lemonade stand

The boys are trying to earn some money for a much desired power ranger toy and decided to try selling lemonade on our lonely road. It took all I had not to call our neighbors to head down and buy some! They sat out there..... and sat out there. Finally the neighbors spied them and came over to buy some watered down, half full glasses. They ended up making about $8. Tanner waved down several cars and couldn't believe they wouldn't stop! (I couldn't either!) Who could resist that beautiful sign and those smiles???

Family Camp

Well, we spent another weekend up in our favorite mountain town, Cascade, but this time we attended a family camp. Our good friends, the Weavers, also went along with some other families from our church. You would have thought it was Disneyland for the boys! They enjoyed total freedom in the large camp, riding bikes, playing games and getting very dirty until late in the night.

We spent one afternoon exploring Tamarack resort which was 4 miles down the road. We took the kids up the chairlift to the top of the mountain. I have never been fearful on a chairlift, having grown up skiing when I was younger. This time, however, with Elise on my lap and Alex next to me, watching the trees below us....well, my stomach was turning! The kids loved it and the views were amazing of our lake Cascade below.

.