Our Busy long Weekend

This last week has been very busy for us!!

Joe and his Zachry team rode in the MS 150 to Canadian. He only rode on Saturday, as we headed out of town Sunday with Jordan, Jennie, and Elliot to meet up with RyRy/B and Ash/Bryee (as Elliot fondly refers to them). My husband did an amazing job. He rode 76 miles which is more than twice what he had time for during training. They had 20 riders and some of the other employees sponsored a rest stop. Their theme was MASH, it was really neat.

Sunday we ended up in New Braunfels at the beautiful Courtyard by Marriot, right on the river!! : ) It was really nice and relaxing.

Monday we got up and around to spend the day at Schlitterbahn. After our group picture Elliot said, "Ok everybody, let's go have some fun!" She is too precious. We took turns playing with her and riding the big rides. Twice we had to get away from the water for lightening.

We went back to Houston with Ashlan and Bryan, spent the night, enjoyed Panera Bread, McAlisters, and couldn't pass up Steak and Shake (Joe loves their chocolate malts), shopped REI and Sur La Table, looked at Garden Ridge, and made Ashlan a new zipper pouch for her purse.

We were afraid we weren't going to make our connecting flight in Dallas, due to flight delays, but it all worked out, even having to get off the highway to get to Hobby because of extremely slow moving traffic. Thanks to I phones and Garmin!!!

There was already talk of needing more time for next year's trek. : ) Family time is awesome!!!!!

Pops' birthday celebration

Elliot and Nonni made a cinnamon chocolate cake with cream cheese icing for Pops' birthday. I couldn't wrangle her on her ladder, cake ingredients, and a camera, so no pictures of the process. I did get some of she and Pops blowing out candles (she also wanted to 'eat' the candles or actually suck off the icing) and her squirting him with her dolphin though. A piece is already missing because Jennie had to go to work after we ate so I took a piece to her.

She has been helping with watering flowers or today blowing bubbles on them, but wanted nothing to do with a posed picture, so stated "I standing right here". Then came and stood where Nonni wanted her to. She went and sat, all posed looking later with her chalk and shovels (3 of them). She likes to say, "I diggin".

She has fallen in love with sidewalk chalk. She kind of looks like a ragamuffin with her french braids falling out, but her hair is too fine, even with hair spray to stay up for long.

She loves to sing and I got her singing a made up 'Stick song' to the tune of Wheels on the Bus, BINGO, and I'm a Little Teapot unbeknownst to her at first. The BINGO one is not wanting to upload. I will try again later.

I will post pictures from our Abilene trip (graduation, zoo, and swimming) next. : )

The last month.....

RyRy surprised us yesterday!!! He flew into Lubbock where his friend J.P. picked him up to attend his families males at the lake tradition for the last week of May and into Memorial Day. They stopped in Amarillo for a quick lunch, so we got to spend a little time together. :)

We went to Austin the end of April and got to ride the light rail into downtown, a highlight of Joe's trip for sure. :) We hung out on 6th street for a while, tried on hats (my cousin Zane got married before the Kentucky Derby then had her reception before, during, and after the race so I needed a hat), then headed back up toward Ryan and Brittyne's in time to meet Ashlan and Bryan for dinner as they came in from Houston. Fenway and Kelty had their first meeting in Ryan and Brittyne's third floor apartment, not quite enough room to play, so the next morning we took the dogs to Austin Town Lake where they played in the "no leash zone". Then to Barton Creek Greenbelt where Kelty got initiated into water play. He was timid at first then really took to it. The cutest part was Bryan holding him just above the water and him paddling his front paws. :) Sunday morning was really nice we went to a great park close to Ryan and Brittyne's and played with Fenway, a Frisbee, and an Aerobee. Joe got to visit a couple of bike shops and actually found a rack for the truck bed.

I had a sewing weekend for Jennie's sister Elizabeth's baby shower. Elliot helped me pick out flowers for my "Derby" hat, and she wanted to wear it before we started decorating.

In addition to "making" Pops' birthday cake this morning, Elliot helped me water flowers, was introduced to sidewalk chalk, got her toenails painted, and had to "freshen up" for a birthday party she was going to attend right after lunch. Pics of the cake are forthcoming. He gets it tomorrow. :)

Life is fun!!!

It's officially spring........

Easter has come and gone and so has opening day of baseball. My family enjoyed them both!!!

The day before Easter, Elliot got to go to the park with Aunt Missa and joined some friends of hers for an egg hunt. She got a short nap in before getting up to color her own eggs. She liked it at first, but it didn't hold her attention long.

The next morning we went to church then got Mema and Papa Joe to head over to Jordan and Jennies so we could eat some great food and watch Elliot 'hunt' for or gather eggs is her backyard. I didn't get a picture of it, but the paparazi was out in full force:)

Here's a picture of her shoes for Aunt Ashlan to see:)

Having trouble posting videos, will try later in another post. Here are some pix of the guys at the game. Bryan, Jordan's brother in law and Ryan's friend Wes, Ryan, and Jordan. Sammy came to see them too. Then one of Joe's highlights, Roger Staubach was there to throw out

the first pitch.

Catching up

Elliot spent the night with us last night as her mommy had to work and her daddy went to Arlington to help the Texas Rangers. She was walking down the hallway after breakfast saying "Oh dark". I went to turn on the light to her toy room and she said "No, drums", so we went to the office instead and she proceeded to play Pops' drums. Unfortunately for my family, I can't help but observe things from a therapists' perspective. :) I noticed that she has good bilateral integration, crosses midline well, has great receptive language, and spatial awareness, especially for a 20 month old. Just watch the video.

We also went to Oklahoma a few weeks ago to help Joe's mom and step dad as they are moving into their new home. Ashlan and Bryan also came up and we got to meet their new addition to the family, Kelty, a half Australian shepherd and border collie mix. He was quite a trooper considering they have no grass yet and it rained ALL weekend. Bryan had not been to Pop's, a restaurant, gas station, convenience store with a glass wall of (pure cane sugar) soda pop. We hadn't been at night and enjoyed the neon bottle structure.

Elliot sings/talks all of the time. Here are 2 more videos of EIEIO and partial ABC's, counting wouldn't upload. They were taken about 6 weeks ago, so she sounds more clear now.

Having fun with Elliot

Where do I start, she is so much fun. We absolutely love being able to have her come to our house or go to their house to play with her. She loves singing, counting, reading, .... and is such a smart little girl. She and Pops snuggling is my FAVORITE!! They are so cute together.

Ringing in the New Year and things in between

Elliot decided that snowballs weren't that bad. She didn't even think they were too "brrr cold":
She is still not really fond of playing in the snow, but LOVES "noman" (snowman)!!!Pretty girl Christmas morning. She had already seen her Santa gifts at home and been to Bunny's house for more presents and breakfast!! She fell asleep on the way to our house, but once she realized there were so many people and more presents, she wanted to be part of the party. We let her open gifts first, thinking she might go down afterwards, but we were wrong!!! She wanted to continue to be part of the action. Each thing she opened was her new 'favorite'.
We had a great time having everyone around for the Holidays. The kids got to stay about 2 weeks which was wonderful!! PJ worked Christmas day so he missed the photo ops:( He came when he got off, in time for games, but no pictures of that.

Elliot enjoyed cooking with Nonni and Ashlan. She is really good at cracking eggs. Curtis Stone would be proud of her one handed go at it, without eggshell ending up in the bowl most attempts:) She and Uncle Bryee spread icing on her gingerbread cupcakes, but we didn't get a good picture of that.

She liked playing with her aunts and uncles too. She is really particular about getting the stickers right on the tip of your nose, or lobe of your ear:)

Christmas day the cousins came over, except for Joshy, and they all really enjoyed catching up with each other. It's strange that they are all adults now, working and/or trying to find careers.

Here's our girl ringing in the new year. It was about 10:00 but she got after the pots and pans in her dainty little way:

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!! Have a blessed 2010.