Beach Vacation 2011

This marks the 3rd Annual Vacation with the Stanard and Davis family. We decided to keep it close to home with a stay in Galveston. We rented a house in Pointe West. I had never been down that way in Galveston but it turned out to be perfect with just a short walk to a clean beach and a pool that we had access to as well.

First night the kiddos ran around checking things out. Loving the "hoop a loops" Crissy brought. 

The next day we headed out to the beach:

 Abby was being a bit pouty and refused to go in the water. 

 Sand people were built

 Kids played Wii

The next day came too soon as it always does. The girls wanted to go and look for shells so we headed over to the beach for a quick trip.

 No, our kids did not build this castle, they just stole the shells from it!

Our house in center!

Jess attempted a group shot of the kids. Not bad with 6 kids I think!

And of course a pic of the girls!

Wonder where we will go next year?

July?

I swear it was just the 4th of July! This month has definitely flown by and we have been very busy. Too busy to often take a camera unfortunately. I do have at least 2 updates I can do with pics but other then those 2 there have been no pictures. So what have we been up to you ask?

- We've been swimming with the family over the 4th weekend
- We spent the 4th with friends
- Abby gave up her pacifier to the "Binky Fairy"
- Due to losing the pacifier she has also dropped her nap so we are a napless house now 
- We have shopped
- We have applied for passports
- We have tickets to Italy!
- We spent the weekend at the beach with friends!
- Reagan went to the dentist for the first time and did great
- Celebrated Jacob's 3rd birthday
- We started potty training Abby
- Trip to the Zoo
- Family movie night
- I hit the halfway mark on my C25K plan and am learning to run
- We met with an attorney to have our estate planning documents drawn up
- Our garden died
- Our computer crashed

I'm sure I am forgetting some things too! Whew, no wonder it flew by!

Butterflies!!!

It happened so quickly on a Friday. That morning the little guys were still in their cocoons marking a week since they had been in. I walked by them a few times that day and each time there was another butterfly! It was really neat. I didn't, however, expect it to be quite so bloody. To be technical what looked like blood per the guide we received was actually meconium. It didn't bother Reagan and she just referred to it as '"red peepee". So if that's going to freak you out you may not what to look at all the pictures.

We kept them in the middle of the table and they were a lot of fun to watch during dinner. However on Monday we had to release them.

With a little encouragement all but one flew off. It was great. After seeing that the little one left behind was not going to take off (he had part of the cocoon still struck to him) we tried to get the girls to go inside just in case. Abby wasn't having it though and yelled at us, "No, butterfly fly!". We tried to help the little guy out and then decided we would just move him to the garden until he was ready.

We learned a lot with these butterflies and it is something I would recommend to everyone!

The oddest thing that I learned was how morbid Reagan is! One of the cocoons didn't attach itself to the top like the others so I had to lay it on the ground of the butterfly house and she told me it was probably dead without batting an eyelash. Then a couple of days after we let them go she told me that the butterfly in the garden probably died. Odd odd child.

PS Don't mind how the girls are dressed. They are allowed to pick out their own clothes during the week when we're at home. ; )

Last Swim Lesson

The girls have really enjoyed swim lessons this year and Reagan has really learned a lot. We are very impressed and wished it were possible to sign her up for another set!

 Don't worry, she's not drinking the water but working on blowing bubbles. 

Fathers Day 2011

Fathers Day was a rather quiet day around our house which is what was requested. We went to brunch, did a little shopping and then hung out around the house.

The girls learned how to use water guns. Nothing like a little girl in a bathing suit holding a gun.......

Abby had just woken up. We thought we'd let her go without a swim diaper in the back yard. Note the small puddle underneath her. 

Reagan got to try out the fun sprinkler she got for her birthday. 

 The sprinkler scared Abby who kept safe by the door.

 I LOVE this picture. Reagan has her hand on her hip and is wagging her finger at Abby over something and Abby is just giving her the Abby face. Classic. 

 What Fathers Day is all about.

 Abby Zoolander