crystal beach

I realized I never wrote about our beach trip a few weeks ago. It was a blast. Crystal beach is a beach that across bay from galveston. You take a free ferry to get there, and you can drive right unto the beach. Had a BBQ for dinner, Michael loved riding the monster tricycle that Chase and Cait gave us, and we all had a good time floating around and digging in the sand. Takes a bit longer to get there, but we thought it was worth it. Didn't get home until around 10 PM, which was almost nice in some ways to break the routine.

Peter is determined to do whatever his brothers do!

My chair broke.... :=(

Didn't have room to bring the big stroller, but Sharon rigged up a nice system to help Peter nap

Michael rode way down the beach by himself

Michael's 3rd Birthday Party

Sharon spent a lot of time and effort into making a great party for Michael's 3rd birthday party. Michael wanted a car theme. For starters, she made an amazing cake. It was ambitious but she succeeded wonderfully, and it was also delicious. Even the fondant was good.

Most of the party was outside. Luckily we were able to borrow a shade canopy from some friends -- it got hot! But we cooled off with the hose and water guns and the slide into a baby pool. Sharon also made this water bed thingy out of plastic that the kids thought was cool.

I think Michael got a little overwhelmed. The idea of opening presents made him happy, so we opened presents early. That and some pink lemonade cheered him right up.

I love the look of frustration that he can't get the present open

Then we had an epic water balloon fight. Sharon filled about 250 balloons that morning in under an hour and a half!

Nailed

Sharon showing no mercy

Everybody looking in the cooler, shocked that all the balloons were gone. I actually had one left that I proceeded to break over Sharon's head

Then we played a pin the car on the track game. Sharon threatened the older kids that they wouldn't get cake if they didn't do it... and everybody soon lined up to play

It was a fun morning. We love you Michael! Happy 3rd birthday!

Chase and Cait come to visit!

We were so thrilled to have Chast and Cait visit us as they traveled to Mississippi. Enoch and Michel loved playing with Traci, Carmen, and Luke. We all really had a great time and were grateful they made the effort to stop by and endure cramped quarters and chaos. We packed in a lot of fun into the 4th of July weekend

Sleeping arrangements. Chase reading a bed time story. The last night they stayed up for 2+ hours in the dark playing / screaming before they fell asleep. One night Carmen got kicked out for being naughty.

4th of July personalized pancakes

We then went to a parade. It was a great time and the kids loved getting candy. Most floats would drive by and all point at the cute kids sitting on the curb and nail them in the chest with a handful of thrown candy. Just as well because they were mostly too timid to get up and chase after it.

Brothers and sons

Sisters. You would never guess Sharon isn't American! ;-)

The kids all rode their bikes around together

Carmen's got Leslie's evil eye

Chase and Cait got the kids a new monster tricycle! It's awesome and can probably run over anything.

Pie

4th of July fireworks during a break in the rain. It poored right during by BBQ and scared us away from going out to see fireworks. Luckily Chase and Cait got some in New Mexico and we had a good old fashioned Rogers firework treat. The girls were much more bold and brave than the boys, but I think they all enjoyed them. Enoch keeps asking to do more fireworks.

Enoch and Michael hiding behind Sharon sums up the contrast between the girls and boys!

We also took a beastly trip to Ikea. Our first and it was monster crowded and soul-draining. We all managed to spend too much money on junk. But we did score an $8 kids table. And Chase and Cait fed us lunch! Thanks! There was also a kid watch place at Ikea and we waited about 40 minutes for them to watch our kids for 60 minutes, but it was worth it. They had an old fashioned ball pit that everyone seemed to love.

Went to the children's museum as well, didn't get much pictures but it was fun.

A voting booth, everyone stuffing the ballet for the jail as the best means to reduce criminal activity

And Chase and Cait even went to church today.

Thanks for visiting!!