Grandma and Grandpa are here for a visit pt 1

Well Grandma and Grandpa Corier have come to Houston for a visit and we have been having so much fun.  We went to the Houston Zoo on Friday (Pictures are at the end) and on Saturday we all took a trip to Galveston to play on the beach.  It was a nice grey day that reminded us all of Washington.  Galveston was hit by Hurricane Ike and while you can still see a lot of the damage and aftermath of that storm the town looks like it's coming together and the beach was really nice.  The picture above is Violet and Wesley, totally destroying Jonathan's sand castle.  
We had a fun time hanging out on the beach and playing games with everyone.

Violet and Wesley had fun playing in the sand.

Wesley wanted to make sure that Grandpa had plenty of sand in his shoes.  You can't leave the beach without some sand in your shoes!
We took several pictures trying to get a good one of all the kids, this is the best one that I got.  It's always hilarious when we try to do this.

Violet "pitching" to Aunt Emily.  She doesn't actually throw it, she walks it up to you and places it in your mitt.  Your killing me smalls!

Violet was trying to sneak back to the ocean to play in the waves, Grandpa caught her though.

Peter making bubbles with our bubble blower, the kids really liked the bubbles, but the wind was blowing them super fast past us and I don't think anyone really caught any.

Grandpa fixing Sam's hair

Violet trying to sneak back to the water, in the middle of a wardrobe change.  She wasn't too pleased when we caught her.

Violet did a header into the waves so she had to end her ocean play time.  Again...not too happy about this.

Grandpa and Grandma checking out the beach.

Jonathan, Emily and Sam playing in the waves.

Wesley really liked chasing the waves.

My independent Daughter toddling out to the Gulf to go swimming, she turned around and said  "Come on, Let's Go!"

At the zoo I told Wesley to say Cheese and he started to jump around and dance and say cheeeeese!
Sam making faces at Granpa
All three cousins having a visit with Dumbo

Me and Violet with Dumbo.  I'm really happy today.  It was the last day of my first trimester :)  The baby is due at the beginning of September.

Violet was laughing at the Elephant.

Violet sharing a moment with Grandpa.  Violet loves fish, I think we are going to get her one for her b-day.

The vultures were actually really pretty, they were a purpley-blue color.  Violet thought they were cool.

one of the fish tanks has a tube that kids can crawl into and check out the fish.  All three kids had so much fun in there.
The kids in the tube from outside the tank.

Wesley in front of some really big fish.

I've taken a lot of pictures lately

Violet got a new dress.  She is growing so fast, and she wanted to model it for us.  The only catwalk like hall we have is our kitchen so she ran back and forth to show it off.

She loves to run back and forth in our kitchen, it's great game, she starts in the back by our laundry stuff and runs to the other end and peaks around the corner and says BOO!

Violet is getting her molars in and she was so exhausted and stuffed up the other day, this is such a sad picture.  She is feeling much better now, I think she's through the worst of it now.

We moved Violet's big red chair to the patio, where Violet and I like to sit and read in the morning.  

we are having a great time here in Texas and we are especially excited that the maintenance guys are getting our pool ready for Pool season.  Maybe when Gr. & Gr. Corier come to visit we can all go swimming!

Violet and the popsicles

We tried popsicles for the first time yesterday.  Violet loved them!  It started out that I was just sharing mine with her and pretty soon I had no popsicle and Violet ate mine!
She thinks she's so funny....little popsicle thief!
Violet dressing up some more this morning.  She's become obsessed with this hat, I tried to get her to wear a sun hat since it's so warm here but she wanted to wear the snow hat!

just some pics of the week

Violet really likes her Mac N Cheese, she eats a serving at least once a day!
Violet playing dress up this morning with her snow hat and a cute piece of fabric
She really liked to wear the hat

Violet is so cool in her shades!

We are so excited for Gr and Gr Corier to come visit!

Christmas at our house

We had a pretty great CHristmas this year. Peter and Ellen, and Errin and Brandon came over on Christmas Eve for dinner and then we just spent CHristmas day at our house with Aunt Sarah. Pretty low key, but it was great.
Grandma and Grandpa COrier sent Sam a Jack-in-the-box. He thinks it's great. Wesley loves to put cars in it so when the jack pops up the cars shoot out.
Sam and the famous Jack-in-the-box (no cars included this time)

Aunt Sarah came from Virginia. We had a really fun time with her here. She was a fun treat to have this year (hense the bows and ribbons). It was great to have her here and I know Welsey and Sam sure did have fun playing with her.
Sam playing with his new car carrier.
Wesley was so excited for Christmas morning, he could not stop jumping up and down. ABout 3/4 of the way through opening the gifts he took off and had to start playing with everything. He'd had enough excitment for one day. I think he looks a bit overwhelmed here. Sam didn't really get what all the excitement was for, but he was only 10 months then. . . what do you expect?
Sam did start to walk last week. He is so excited! I'm excited too because soon we will be able to go to the park and I won't have to worry so much about Sam crawling into an ant hill or some equally not so good thing. ANy how, hope all is well at your house!

The Wood family

The Children's museum, Violet swinging, and V's first ponytail

It was particularly warm in our apartment this morning so we gave violet her first pony tail.
Violet taking a picture of me taking her picture.
Violet decided not to nap one day and to get the wiggles out Peter took her to swing on the playground at our apartment. She love it.



For Wesley's b-day Emily and I took the kids to the Children's Museum in downtown Houston, The kids had a blast.  We spent most of the time in the Tot zone.  Here is Sam in the ball area
Violet in the ball area
Violet and Wesley driving the Van, the other kid in the front seat kept talking to me in a language I didn't recognize, it wasn't spanish, french or german so I have no idea what he was saying.
Wesley Driving the Van.  Happy Birthday!  We had a great time!