Rodeo!

We went to the Galveston County Rodeo yesterday.  We had so much fun.  The kids got to "drive" some tractors and mowers and we all went into a great little petting zoo.  It was such a nice day I'm really glad we were all able to go.
Sam on a mower
Violet taking a turn on the mower.

Wesley on the mower

We tried to get a picture of all three on the scoop but it didn't work.  It rarely does, but that's half the fun.

Wesley and Violet checking out the animals in the special pen.  There were some fawns, a kangaroo, a pony and in the far corner a porcupine.

The BBQ's are huge in Texas.  We walked through as the competitors were cooking up Brisket and Ribs.  I wish I could capture smell with a camera it was wonderful.
Here are some of the funny animals we saw.  A cow with an actual ring in it's nose.

A turkey making a break for it.  He was put back in his cage pretty quickly.
A goat tasting the diaper bag.

Violet loved the goats, they were just her size and she kept going "maaa" at them.

Woodstock baby

Last night we were suppose to go and see some really cool acrobats from China at the Outdoor Theatre in downtown Houston, but as we were getting ready to leave we heard a crack of thunder, saw a bolt of lightning and down came the rain!  Oh well.  Violet had a late nap and woke up a little grumpy at about the same time the storm started, we tried everything to calm her down she didn't want anything except to take off all her clothes and go outside in the rain.  We let her kind of dance around naked on the balcony as we watched the thunder and lightning but then she needed to be wrapped up and snuggle.  It was a fun way to spend the evening.  The acrobats would have been cool but a thunder and lightning storm and a funny toddler was just as entertaining.
Our little Wood stock baby.  Peter is reassured that she is neither an Idaho Spud or a True Texan because she loves the rain so much, she must be a Washingtonian!

Watching the storm with her Dad.  Peter was having a chat with his friend Bryce.

The human pin cushion

Gone are the days of simple prenatal check ups.  Every time I go in I have to poked and prodded and measured and I never get out in under an hour...sigh.

Pics and Video of Violet and little bit of rain

I was working on a project at the table and Violet decided to say hi to her soon to be brother

And then play peek a boo!
I see you!
The pool was closed for Chemical treatments so Violet had a pool party on our deck.  All of her bubble wands and her sidewalk chalk got a bath!  She got a great bubble wand set and some beach toys with some treat money from her grandparents.  

Violet likes to eat breakfast in bed.  She prefers my side of the bed because I use so many pillows now, it is very comfy!

I made Violet an ABC book for her b-day here are two of my favorite pages.  I put all the pages up on my face book page along with the pages from the wedding book I made Bill and Michele if you want to check it out.  http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2167375&id=25901458&l=d1e9cc55c5

You should be able to copy and paste that address and not have to log into facebook.

It has taken a few days for us to recover from having such a fun week with Diana.  None of us slept much that week.  I think we are finally getting back on schedule.  Violet takes a nap everyday again! yay!

Saying goodbye to Aunt Diana!  We had such a fun week.  We went to the Zoo, the Salt grass, The galleria, On the border ( my new favorite Houston restaurant) and to the beach!  It was so much fun.
 We had a little bit of rain this weekend.  I was driving to pick up Peter at work and there was so much water blowing over the road that I had the wipers on full blast, driving 20 mph on the freeway and I still couldn't see the road.  Not to mention the constant thunder and lightning!  I was happy to hand the keys over to Peter that day!  anyways this is a video of the rain from our balcony on Saturday.  It was crazy!  It's beautiful and sunny again though.  I really enjoy the crazy weather here in Texas, it always keeps you guessing!

  Here is a video of Violet playing peekaboo with me and saying hi to her little brother, it was such a sweet moment.  I am about 21 and half weeks, and it is starting to hit me that we are having another baby in a few short months.  We bought a little boy coming home outfit the other day so as long as this kid never spits up, grows or gets stinky we should be all set. ha ha ha.... I may have to pick up a few onesies, it will be so warm for the first few months I don't think he'll wear many clothes.  I remember it was 100 degrees the day Violet was born ( if I have anymore kids they are going to be due in the winter!) and she hated wearing clothes for like the first month and refused to be swaddled.  I'm excited to see what this baby is like.

Diana came to Texas pt 1

My sister Diana came to town this week.  Violet loves Diana and has really enjoyed having Diana here.  Diana's been watching Violet while I take Peter to work so I can have the car and  the first morning Violet crawled onto the bed with Diana, patted her shoulder and whispered hey...hey.  The next morning she crawled up next to her lay down on her tummy and put her arm around Diana and when back to sleep.  Diana thought it was really cute.  Here is Violet watching Diana texting.

We went to a great mexican restaurant and Violet liked the chips and salsa until she got a really spicy bite and Peter had to take her outside to calm her down.  Violet also had her first Margarita :) it was Mango with Passion fruit...yum!

We went to the zoo this afternoon and I am taking a lot of animal pictures because I'm making Violet an ABC book for her birthday... this one is going to be Y for YIKES! a Giant snake!!  not seriously but it was a huge snake.

This is called a Okipa and the woman next to us very astutely pointed out that, that thing "has a Stripe ED butt!"  Welcome to Texas.

Violet showing the Cuban Croc how dig for gold.

Diana being cute.

Violet trying cotton candy for the first time... we had to show her that you ate it.  It was a little confusing for her, but she eventually caught on and really liked it. (of course she liked it.... it's pure sugar!)

Diana painted Violet's toe nails hot pink this morning, she did pretty well until the very end when Violet kicked her and ended up with a hot Pink toe!  Diana stopped after that so Violet only has one side painted.

We went to a great Texas steakhouse called Salt Grass, it was so yummy, I wish Violet was looking at  the camera in the picture, we have a succession of pictures where we are each taking turns looking in the wrong direction, this was Violet's.

Violet wearing some of Diana's Glasses, aren't they cool!

Here is video of Violet getting her toes painted she starts to kind of giggle.  it was pretty cute.

Easter!

For Easter we had Emily and Jonathan and the boys over for a fun easter egg hunt in our little park.   The dads went and hid the eggs in the park while Emily and I got the kids shoes on and then we went out and had a fun hunt.  I've got some videos that I'm working on uploading.  we had a lot of fun.  We had a little lunch and I tried a recipe from my childhood, Elizabeth use to make rainbow jello for Alexis and I ( I don't remember it but Alexis insisted that I'd eaten it) It turned out really good.  If you want to give it a try go to www.cooks.com and search rainbow Jello fingers, The white stuff is sweetened condensed milk.
Here is this weeks Prego picture. 20 weeks! This baby is getting big and starting to kick me a lot.  I'm halfway done and looking forward to this being over!

I think it may be time to potty train, Violet has become obsessed with putting toilet paper in the potty and saying bye bye!

Violet making sure there is enough TP in the toilet.  Oh joy.

Our little easter Princess, heading down the stairs to church, it was just starting to rain and by the time we got to church it was pouring and we were in the middle of a Tornado watch!  We survived and by the time we left church it was a beautiful sunny day and mid 70's!  The weather in Texas can be crazy!  I have a video of it pouring buckets of rain maybe I'll post that too!

Violet relaxing with her easter eggs last night.  These are the eggs she found in the Hunt and we just put them in her basket with a few special easter treats for this morning.  I have been working on Enrichment a lot lately.  We've finally been able to get some activities up and running and I'm really excited about it.  Check out our enrichment blog www.friendswoodfirstenrichment.blogspot.com!  We are having a women's retreat in a few weeks and I get to go to Louisiana for the first time.  I'm very excited about that.

Here is video of the hunt.  We had so much fun.  Wesley was really the only one who really got it.  Violet wanted to swing and Sam enjoyed shaking one for a while and that was pretty much it.  Wesley had a blast!  Next year will be really fun, when all three will probably understand it more.

This is Violet and Wesley on the See Saw at our park.

The Easter Bunny came this morning.  Violet really enjoyed herself.  We have eggs all over our living room now.