Cody's Summer Trip

Well, as we usually do, we had my nephew Cody out for a week at the beginning of the summer. Actually, he was out here even before school was out for us in Houston. This was fantastic, because we were able to go to all the fun events before the crazy summer trips began. We hit some fun and unusual museums, such as the art car museum and we tried to get to the telephone museum, but they were closed the day that we wanted to go.

We of course hit the beach in Galveston, which for us was fantastic this time, because we were able to get to the beach with very few people around us. We tried a new beach this year again. I don't think we have gone to the same beach twice in the five years that Cody has come out. If we would have had the right tools, Cody was going to dig a hole as tall as he was, but unfortunately he only got to about waist height, which is about three feet before it started flooding with sea water. He couldn't figure it out, because as he stated that didn't happen in San Diego, CA, when he was there. We didn't have an answer for him, so if you read this and you know the answer let me know.

Cody was also able to meet the baby boy that we are hoping to adopt and he thought he was cool. (Most popular word for a 13yr old). I think he just liked that he slept through the night, as the last time he was here we had a four month old and a fourteen month old and neither of them slept through the night, or they were up very early.

Another annual tradition is the berry picking which just happens to fall at the same time as his trip out here. We decided to pick not only blueberries but we also picked blackberries. Overall, we had a really good time. I think the only thing that would have made it better would have been if we could have found a scooter park or skate park that allows scooters for him to show off some of his skills.

Wendy's Birthday

We kept my birthday this year a little more low key than Jonathan's. Of course I wasn't turning 40 like he was either, so it was good to be low key. We decided to take a little trip up to Fredericksburg, TX. We had a blast at a little B&B off of the main road by two blocks. Just enough to allow us to have quiet at night, but close enough to allow us to walk everywhere.

We enjoyed a good time, wine tasting, eating out, sight seeing, such as the Texas White House, including the plane and runway that are there. It was a good time to get away. On the last morning we were there, we decided to try this little coffee house a block from our B&B and found the local coffee house cat helping himself to a  little water from the fishbowl on the table. Just some of the local flavor.

Jonathan's Birthday!

This April, we decided to celebrate Jonathan's 40th birthday with a BBQ party in our back yard with family, friends, and neighbors. We set up a croquet set, a ring toss set for the little kids and we were able to have some special friends over, which we will talk about in a adoption post coming soon. Thank you to all of the friends who came to celebrate with us.

The kids also had fun as one of the neighbors brought over confetti eggs and we told the kids that they could attach Jonathan with them once he sat down. Well, the man was so busy, playing, BBQing and having fun that it took him a long time to sit down. Once he did though, it was on and I have to say that the kids got him good. He might have come away a little bruised, but I think he enjoyed it.

Valentine's Day 2011

 I am almost caught up. I can't believe it. This year, we decided that we would go to the zoo for Valentine's day. It was a great time for just Jonathan and I to spend together. We had both been so busy with trips, projects and work that we needed this day for us. To celebrate us as a couple. We may have done the unconventional thing and gone to the zoo and then gone for BBQ afterwards, but to us it was a great time to spend together.

 We found this picture and the name of the lion appropriate and funny all at the same time, so of course we had to take a picture of my Jonathan underneath it and then we decided we better take one of the really lion Jonathan. Which do you think looks more fierce?

Mural

In January I was finally able to finish up a mural that I had been working on for a friend's daughter. It had taken me a little while to finish due to the fact that I didn't have a lot of time and she was busy with shuttling two kids around and keeping them busy. Here are some of the pictures of the mural. Enjoy!

Pictures I forgot to add

Here are some pictures that I forgot to post.

  Cookie and Dad with her Uncle in front of his car at the George R. Brown Convention center in Houston over Thanksgiving weekend.

 The picture that had to be taken so that all of her siblings back in Phoenix could be jealous of her. She grew up here in Houston and always remembered Shipleys donuts, so in order to make her siblings jealous this was taken. I have to say that they got on the plane with a donut for her sister, but from my understanding it didn't make it to Phoenix before it got the best of her and my dad. Sorry!

 Fun times over at my brother and sisters house. We were goofing off with the kids on the weekend of the wedding. It was a good time to get to know my niece and nephew again.

 Isn't she just adorable. Such the photogenic little girl! Gotta love it!

Then there is mister blue eyes and all sorts of mischief. He reminds me a lot of my little brother when he was this age and they will have their hands full if he follows along my brothers footsteps. Love you brother!

The New YEAR!

Well, the new year has come and gone, but I am just getting around to blogging about it. Oh, well!! The year for us did not start out to well. I ended up having to go back to Phoenix the beginning of January to due a death of a dear sweet friend. It was unexpected and we later found out due to some of the medications that she was on. Jonathan was not able to come out until later due to his work schedule, but since we had already planned on come out as is our usual trip in January, he was able to make it.

This trip to AZ was a little unusual for us too, as it was the first trip back to Phoenix where there was another woman living in my dad's house. It was good to see, but also hard to see as everywhere I looked there were reminders of my mother. So with my dad and Cookies' permission we took down the big drapes in the living and dining room and repainted the walls. We also bought new blinds for both the living and dining rooms to get rid of the old verticals that were so weather rotten that they were falling apart. It turns out that this was just the first of many painting jobs that were to come for my dad and Cookie.

Jonathan was also able to go skiing for the first time in almost four years. He went with a good buddy Isaac. This skiing trip just might have to turn into a regular thing for him. He told me later that he really missed skiing and since we all know that there are no ski slopes anywhere close to us. This just might have to do. He also told me that he looks forward to teaching our kids how to ski. I on the other hand stayed home and spent the day shopping with Cookie and enjoying some time to relax. I don't ski. I have taken one ski lesson and that was over six years ago. I may take it up again in the future, but we will have to see. Notice in the picture that Jonathan is wearing his Fire fighter turnouts. He doesn't have any ski clothes anymore, but found out that these work really warm as they are water resistant and really warm.

Since my dad and Cookies house is now getting full with furnishings from two homes, it was also decided that on this trip, Jonathan and I would bring back my antique furniture. This included a bed, dresser, high boy, two mirrors, and a desk and chair which were not able to make it in the truck. We have a big shout out to friends who loaned us their truck for the trip as we don't have a vehicle that could have carried this furniture back with us. I was also able to load up about a dozen more boxes of stuff that will eventually make it back to our house here in Houston. Hopefully, if my dad and Cookie drive out this year some time, they will be able to bring some of the stuff with them as well. Otherwise, we will be bringing it back with us every time we come out to Phoenix, since we almost always drive out in January.

October Wedding 2010

At the end of October my father married again. Thankfully, we were able to make it out there for the wedding. Which of course can be a challenge when you have a husband working in the fire department. Will he be able to get off for the time, will he be working on those days and if so, will the Captain let him have time off. Well, thankfully, he had vacation scheduled for the month of October, so it was no problem to just change the dates so that we could make it. The time was fun to see old friends, to see my dad happy with his new bride, and to be able to spend some time with family.  Unfortunately, there are not many pictures of our time out there, due to the fact that we pretty much ran ninety to nothin the entire time. A couple of days before the wedding, I got to watch Cookie (the new bride) cut my dad's hair in order to make him a little more respectable for the wedding.

Then on the morning of the wedding, we found out that there was a small car show going on in Chandler. So of course, being with a bunch of guys we had to go. It was a fun time due to the fact that it was my brothers whole family, my dad, and my husband and myself. It was nice to just be us for one last time before adding another person to our already strange brood.

 The last picture is one of my favorites as it is of my sweet niece and nephew all dressed up for the big day. Could they get any cuter!

Mustaches

I am not a fan of the mustache on my husband, so let me write a little he said/she on how this conversation went.

J - Hey honey, the guys at the station all want to grow mustaches and then get our picture taken.
W - Why?
J - Well some of the guys think it would be cool.
W - I don't really like mustaches, when are they going to take the picture? 
J - Why don't you like mustaches? They are going to take the picture in two tours (aka 2 weeks).
W - I just don't like the feel or look of mustaches on some guys. If it is only going to be two  tours, then ok, but you get to deal with the consequences.
J - Man.

So, he grows the mustache for two weeks. Needless to say, his is pretty good, but they decide that some of the guys mustaches are not full enough or something yet, so it goes on for another week. Here is my lovely husband as he looks with a mustache. He must really love his job to put up with me complaining/grumbling about it for two weeks. I have to defend myself though. I was not the only wife complaining. 

THE MUSTANG!

No, we did not get a horse. This would be the dream car of my husbands. He talked for a long time about selling his Firebird and buying a Camero. Then out came the reviews on the new 2011 Mustang. Guess what? The reviews said that the Mustang was the better car. I know that some of you men, if you actually read this blog would disagree, but then again, I don't care. So, in August of last year, we ordered it. Yes, we actually ordered it. The dealership did not have one on the lot that matched the criteria that we wanted. Although they were quite willing to sell us a more expensive model that they did have in stock. They just weren't willing to sell us the more expensive model for the price of the model we actually wanted. So after waiting six weeks for the car, it came in. I think Jonathan was floating on a cloud when he got the phone call that it was in. I tried to tell him that I was too busy to go pick it up with him, but the truth was, I was really excited too. So for the past six months, we have been enjoying our date nights driving around in the new Mustang, as well as taking it on short trips to see how it handles on the road. I can tell you it handles nice. Ok, for the guys, if you actually got this far. It is a 2011, Mustang, GT, Manual Transmission V-8, if you want to know more then you better get in touch with Jonathan, because that is all I got.

Dad's visit in September

My dad came to visit us with his new fiance earlier this month. It was a good time and we had fun taking them around to see things in Houston. My dad's fiance had grown up on the SE side of Houston, so she was aware of somethings, but I am sure it had changed quite a bit too. We went to the Downtown Aquarium for fun on the train, ferris wheel, and at the exhibits and then we ate dinner there too. The only downside was the fact that due to another tropical storm in Houston this time, there flight was delayed and then it was scheduled for an earlier flight that we couldn't make it to. So, instead of getting into Phoenix around 4pm or so, they got in around 9pm. A little later than was planned. I think they would both do it again though. :)

Austin for July 4th

So for July 4th we decided to get out of town. We drove up to Austin to stay for a couple of days.We decided to go to downtown Austin to see the fireworks, but honestly, we were a little concerned about the crowds. Well, we found a good spot to park and then started walking with blanket and cooler in hand to the park where the fireworks were being held. On the way, we found this great parking garage that had a bunch of people on top of it. We thought, I wonder if they know something we don't. So we started up the stairs. On the top of the garage it was loaded with regulars who came here every year, because the view was great. So we went down one level, where their weren't all the drunks and craziness and watched. The view was fantastic. The next couple of days we went on hikes around Austin. We had so much fun and it was just the get-a-way that we needed.

Connie's

As is normal in our house. We occasionally head to Connie's, and if you live in NW Harris County, Houston, you know why. It has the best frozen custard in the area. Well, our dog is fully aware of Connie's now too. One time awhile back we decided to head out for just a drive. Well, we decided to take Brownie (dog) along. She loves car rides. You just mention the work ride and she is all over the place she gets so excited. While on this ride, we decided to go through the drive through at Connie's on our way home. The lady who was going to give us our order at the window saw the dog and asked if she wanted a torch. We asked what it was and she said a mini cone with vanilla custard on it. We said sure. Well, we were never to live it down. Our dog now knows the term ride and torch. If we mention them both, she can not contain herself in her seat on the ride over until she has gotten one. This shows her enjoying one not that long ago. She sits patiently, not so much, in the car and waits for Jonathan to come back with her torch and our treats. She then eats it just like you and I would, one lick at a time until she gets to the cone and then she bits it. She is such a silly dog, and we spoil her rotten. So much so that she is now on a diet because she has gained 8lbs in about six months. NO! we do not go to Connie's that much. Usually, one a quarter or so.

Cody's trip in June

I know that Cody looks bored in this picture, but he was actually playing and goofing off with the dog, while the kids were sleeping.

This picture of Cody in the fire fighter gear was taken when we took a trip to Jonathan's firehouse. Cody thought it was cool and all of the guys were really nice to him. They even showed him the flairs, of which he wanted to take some so that he could take them home with him. He was quite disappointed when I told him that he couldn't get them on the plane without being arrested.

Our Sea World trip in April

 Right after we entered Sea World, we decided to have a little snack to get us through until lunch. We didn't eat breakfast because we left our hotel early to get to Sea World when it opened. Well, when we sat down at some picnic benches, this little guy decided that he needed some breakfast too. He was none to shy about helping himself to our muffin if we would have let him.

This of course was the Shamu show. All of the shows were fantastic, and yes, we sat just outside the splash zone. We didn't really want to get soaked, since it was already a cloudy and chilly day. We saw others that were soaked and freezing after the fact. I know we are wimps. Deal with it.

Six months since my last...

Ok, so it has been six months since my last post. I know, I am totally slacking. Things have happened in the past six months that honestly, I would like to remember and forget all at the same time. Lets start with April shall we?

April - We had a great time, Jonathan and I went to San Antonio for his birthday. We spent an entire day at Sea World. What a fantastic place for both kids and adults. Since Jonathan loves marine life, we went there. Actually I surprised him and took him there. That was a fantastic time and I will post pictures soon. Well, let's change that to later today. This gives me a deadline.

April - Jonathan also finished replacing the columns on the front of the house. We found out that we had termites in the columns, so we demolished all four of them and rebuilt two of them. Not an easy task, but Jonathan did it, with I have to say only a little bit of help from me. Again, pictures will come soon. 

Middle of April - We found out that we were chosen to foster two little ones. We were so excited because they were 4 months and 14 months. So they were great ages, although, lots of hard work. We spent as much time with them as we could and got them healthy again, although some thanks goes to the first foster parents for getting them healthy. We just continued what they had already started. This was a fun time to learn about how Jonathan and I interacted as parents to each other and to strengthen and learn from each other during this time. I will say that our marriage was truly tested during this time.

May - Was my birthday, and as much as Jonathan wanted to surprise me with something like I surprised him with, we had two children now, so we couldn't do that. He did however, find a babysitter for the night and we were able to go out to a nice quiet dinner without the rush of getting babies fed and down for the night. It was a very sweet night.

Beginning of June - My nephew Cody came out to visit us for two weeks. What fun that was. Unfortunately because we had the kids, we didn't get to do as many cool things as we had hoped to do, but he was willing to go along with whatever. We did make it to the beach one day, I think this will become tradition when he comes out. We were able to also get to a couple museums, but I think the best thing that Cody liked was the fact that he got to build or at least start to build a model car with Jonathan. Cody took it home with him to finish because they were not able to get it all done, due to kids, trips, and all that stuff.

End of Jun - We continued on, but what we didn't know was that things were working behind the scenes to move the children back to their first foster placement. We did not find out that the kids were going to be moved until the night before they were moved. This was hard to take. We thought we had our family through the CPS System, only to find out that the case worker didn't like us. It was difficult, we felt that we had just lost two of our own kids. We were becoming attached to these kids. I know as foster parents you are not to become as they say "attached" because at any time they could leave, but we were being told over and over that it was a pretty clear case. In the end, the kids went back to their first foster parents, we grieved for them. Then we praised God that they did go back to people that at least they knew. We pray continually for their safety, as the case is ongoing at least through December of this year.

July - In order to get some rest and to get out of a now way to quiet house. We left. We went to Austin for a couple of days. We spend fourth of July up there and just relaxed, hiked, and got a new perspective on us. In this time, we prayed and decided that we would wait to decided to continue the adoption process. This wait time will give us the prayer time to listen to what God is telling us with regards to our family. We will be waiting and listening through December. This will also allow us to decompress and travel without the worry of missing a phone call for kids because we are out of town.

August - Was spent pretty much just doing normal day to day stuff. We didn't go anywhere, we really didn't do anything, but that was okay. We focused on us, on our ministries at the church, our small group Bible studies. It was good.

September - I am finally up to this month. Whew! This month we had my dad and his fiance come visit us. It was a good time. We were able to go to the Aquarium downtown and see the exhibits, which again, was one of Jonathan's favorites. We were even able to get my dad's fiance on the ferris wheel which she claimed to be afraid of. She told us later, that it was the old type ferris wheels that she didn't like, not these knew ones. So it wasn't so bad. We had a good time, although the time went by very quickly. We will head back for their wedding next month and then they will be out here in November. Then it is a quiet December month, no traveling, well, except to do a quick visit to Jonathan's parents place early in the month. Then it will be a quiet December and Christmas.

Ok, I am done, there are the updates. Now I need to go find some pictures so that you can see that we actually were busy through at least some of these months. Thanks friends for reading this far, provided you actually read it and didn't just skip to the bottom.

Fire Fighter pictures

Our small group was having the study at our house this month and one of the guys asked if he could bring his gear home to see it. So, being the guy that he is, it was brought home. Here are some of the pictures from a couple of the guys putting the stuff on. It was a good time.

Sam in the helmet, his son was smiling til he saw the camera!

Sam in the helmet and jacket. I don't think he realized how heavy the suit is.

Emily and Dillon with their son with the helmet on. His daddy had the helmet on earlier.

Doggie dirt

Ok, so it has been awhile, but life has gone on and I just haven't gotten around to updating the blog. So here is one of the latest antics from our doggie. It was a Saturday, rainy, cold, and our dog, who typically doesn't like to be outside in the rain was willing and able to go outside. My thought was, cool, I don't have to entice her to go out and do her business. So about 2 hours later, I go to let her in and she has mud on her paws. Didn't think much about it, due to the fact that if she was walking in the mulch around the yard, she would have some mud on them. Wiped her paws clean and let her in the house. Then the evening came. It had stopped raining by this point, but the ground was soaked. So I let her out again and she was more than eager to go outside. Again, didn't think anything about it. UNTIL...at 9pm, I went to let her back in. She was no where to be found. I whistled and I could here her, but couldn't see her. Then out of the darkness she comes running. Instead of my dog being a nice dark brown color, she was a light brown dirt color. Mud all down one side. My prissy dog was covered in mud. She had dug a hole into the neighbors yard and found three rawhide chews and my assumption is she was going to bring them back her or just sit overthere and chew on them. I have no idea where the neighbors dog was at this point in time. I am assuming inside. So, she got banished to her kennel in the house for the night. The next morning we got up, went to church, then came home, filled the hole, gave the dog a bath and cleaned the dirt from her kennel and the carpet. Oh the joys! Of course we caught it all on camera, so enjoy the pictures.

Oops, I'm locked in.

Ok, so I wasn't going to put this posting in, but I just can't resist. The day that dad arrived, we had said goodnight and were heading off to bed. Then we hear my dad talking from inside the hall bathroom. The lock was jammed. It turns out the door knob was bad and the pin opening the door was either broken or missing all together. We put the new knob on, but didn't bother to check to make sure that it worked. Oh the fun times. Yes, we were able to get the door open and we moved a door knob from another door in the house to use on that door.

Snow in Houston again!

Yep, it snowed in Houston again. It didn't stay long in our area, but as you can see from Jonathan's car, it did stick around in some areas. This was the morning after the snow storm when he got home from work. He said that at the firehouse they had enough snow to make a couple snowmen.

Brownie however did not like the snow. Our little prissy girl was thinking "you want me to go out and get wet" So after dragging her out and making her sit in it, I was finally able to get this very unhappy shot. But hey, it shows the snow. Now, if I could have gotten a picture of myself, I was covered in it by the time I got her to sit down.

This picture of the neighborhood shows the snow coming down. It was enough to put quite a bit on snow on the parked cars in on the street. It just didn't hang around for long, but hey, you take what you can get and I am happy with this. I would much rather have this, than the stuff they are dealing with in the Dakotas and Minnesota.