Abby's Big Day

Abby came home from school a little while ago saying her eyes hurt when she reads and her teacher told her to tell her mom. We made an appointment to have her eyes checked and sure enough they are a little too far sighted so the Dr wrote a prescription to help her when she is reading and doing things up close. He said it should correct itself as she ages in the next year or two. She has always wanted glasses so I think she is excited to have them. She asks me before she does things, "do I need to wear my glasses while I do it?" She chose some cute trendy glasses. I like they are OP and have a wave like pattern on the side that remind me of the beach!

Mr. H and his cars

Harrison watched the movie Cars for the first time on our trip to Virginia. He fell in love with it and has watched it about 1,000 times since then. He knows all the characters names and everything. He is very into his Matchbox/Hot Wheels cars too. He has a carrying case he wheels around the house and likes to get them out and drive them around and line them up. John is teaching him the "names" of the cars like Bronco, Defender, Hummer, Unamog, etc. Harrison also loves trains and Thomas the Tank Engine. He loves to play on his train table with his cars and trains. Here is a video of him putting his cars down the Little People circus rollar coaster. He loves to do this and is quite good at it for his age. He amazes me with how he knows to connect his magnetic trains together too. I love having a little boy. (sorry it is sideways, I couldn't rotate it. PS pause music to hear video)

First day of school 2009

I had to add the traditional first day of school pictures. Emily started 5th grade, Abby started 3rd Grade and Claire is in PreK (Texas preschool) Emily and Abby are wearing outfilts they chose with Grandma and Aunt Heather in Virginia. They loved them so much! Notice they aren't loaded down with back to school items and supplies! I love the Charter school that they don't need backpacks because they only have homework on Monday nights with their take home folders. All the rest of their work is done at school because they aren't distracted with major behavior problems. They don't need lunch boxes because they eat family style in their classroom all together with school lunch. They love the new school and I can't be happier they go there. It is a better situation than the public schools for sure. I have a whole new appreciation for what they girls had in Utah too!

A few Virginia Highlights.

silly Claire at the beach (don't know what she is doing)

John and Harrison with the Cannons on USS Wisconson

Me with the kids in front of one of the many mermaids around Virginia Beach

soaking wet from the rain on the USS Wisconson

The family (our only family picture from the trip)

More Claire on the beach

Harrison playing trains.

Abby digging at the beach.

Mr Harrison at the beach for the first time. And I thought the pacific ocean would be his first beach!

"group" shot at the children's muesum. Harrison wasn't happy!

petting sting rays

nature walk. Emily was mad at Abby so she made an ugly face!

The beginning of August before school started we went to Virginia for our family vacation. My father went into the hospital right before we got there and ended up being in the hospital for 7 weeks with MRSA and complications from it. We spent most of our vacation at the hospital. We were glad we got to see him and help my mother because we almost lost my father on August 2nd. It was a very scary day. We did try to do a few fun things for the kids since the hospital and my parent's apartment weren't very exciting for them. Here are some pictures of a couple places we took them.

The Virginia Aquarium was fun and had a neat nature hike along the coastal water where we saw lots of crabs. The kids got to pet sting rays there too.

The Children's Muesum in Norfolk was lots of fun. They had a HUGE train display and play area Harrison just loved. He cried very hard when it was time to leave the muesum. He really had a good time there. I wish my dad could have watched him play. He would have loved to see him being such a little boy.

The only "historical" thing we were able to do was go see the USS Wisconson. The kids weren't too excited about it but John really liked and it was neat to be on the deck on such a huge ship and see the cannons and such. It started to pour rain when we were on board. The girls enjoyed getting really wet. We walked along the docks near by after wards and got to see jelly fish in the water.

We made it to the beach one afternoon for about an hour. The kids loved it so much we had to go back another day. The girls can now say they have played in the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean! We wish we could have seen Jamestown and Washington DC. I guess we will just have to plan another trip someday....

the amazing part of the whole adventure was John drove back two days to Texas alone with the kids so I could stay another week and help my mother. He is an awesome dad and good husband to let me stay!

Thanks for the reassurance!

Knowing I have a few friends that care I will continue with the blog!

I don't know about this bloging thing anymore.

Does anyone really look at what I post?