Quesadilla

Logan had an accident in his pants yesterday.  His reason?  He had "quesadilla".  Diarrhea, quesadilla, whatever...

Yo Gabba Gabba!

Thanks to Aunt Amy, Adam, and Lottie, the kids' new favorite show is Yo Gabba Gabba.  Of course, we don't have cable/satellite, but we do have Netflix.  Kayleigh loves to dance in front of the TV - even Logan has dancey-danced before.

"Listening and dancing to music is: AWESOME!"

Also, we just got a new TV.  We sold our big screen several months ago, and we'd been talking about getting a new one, instead of using the 32" we've had.  We finally got a new big screen last Tuesday - and it's a 3D TV.  Not that exciting (though "Thor" was pretty cool in 3D).  Notice, Kayleigh thinks you can use Netflix on the screen like Auntie Hope's iPad.

We're goin' to the Zoo

Okay, well, we WENT to the Zoo on Friday, September 16.  And we got to do a lot of fun things, even if people (aka, Mommy, Logan, and Kayleigh) were not in the best of moods.

Meercat sentries guard the enclosure from us.

The kids love going to the Natural Encounters house.  They have fish, turtles, river otters, bats, just a menagerie of animals.  And of course, the favorite thing to do is crawl through the tunnel in the piranha tank.  Poor piranhas, they're thinking "Snack!"  but alas, no, just a tease.

Fishies!

Logan crawls through - again!

I finally figured out how to use our bike bullet as a stroller (since it is now the only 2-seater, well, the only stroller we have).  It rolls really easily, and the kids can get in and out with less hassle than the Graco.  I just miss my cupholder...*sniff*...

And, as always, we do the same route - sea lions, Natural Encounters, and then the elephants.  The elephants were ready to get fed, which is why this beauty is looking at me longingly.  She actually thought I was going to give her something and reached her trunk almost on top of my head!  That was a little disconcerting!  Funny thing, though, the keepers had laid lettuce all over the enclosure - on the logs, on the hanging bristle brush, in the cables around the enclosure.  Pretty neat little scavenger hunt...

We also got to see an elephant bath.  This is Tucker - he's only 6 years old.  He's getting to be an adolescent (elephants mature faster in captivity than in the wild).  The kids really enjoyed seeing him soaped up.  That and I think they believe they should get treats while they bathe.

We actually got to see the Jaguar pretty close, until Little Miss Loud Mouth yelled at it.  Usually they're in the back sleeping.  Best time to go to the zoo - in the morning.  It's cooler, so the animals are more active, and they're not in their "I just ate lunch" stupor, or siesta.

At 11am, you can feed the giraffes.  We don't normally do this, since it's $5 for 3 pieces of lettuce.  I consider this highway robbery, but this time I was ready for it, and had brought some cash with me.  The kids had a great time.  Kayleigh wanted to tear the pieces up for the giraffes, so they could eat it better.  Always thinkin'!  Did you know that a giraffe's tongue is 18" long and is dark so it doesn't get sunburned?

From feeding the giraffes, we went to have our snack - almonds, oranges, apples, and goldfish.  Yum!  Then we tested our stomachs on the carousel. 

Lovin' my warthog!

Some people have WAY too much fun!

As I was helping Kayleigh off the ride, Logan slid down, and got grease all down his leg.  Mr. Melvin, the attendant, tried to wash it off.  And even better, we got a free ride on the carousel!  YAY!  Grease is good...in a way.

This is what happens on the way home from the Zoo.  And of course, she slept like 15 minutes, and then didn't want to sleep at home.  Logan also fell asleep for 5 minutes in the car, but napping was not gonna happen.

We got to do a lot of fun things at the Zoo.  I'm so glad it's getting cooler (in the 90s instead of 107!), so we can go and spend the day without melting.

Muncle Mikell visits

Muncle Mikell came down on September 11, so he and Daddy could have some bro-time out four-wheeling.  Shane borrowed Dean's ATV (again), and the two of them went out Monday morning.  The guys came back super muddy - and bragging that they had been forced to use the winch 4 times. Of course, 3 of the 4 times were Shane getting stuck...

Shane's unique way of getting the Grizzly down without having to unhook the trailer.  Not one, but TWO sets of ramps!

Watering the parched grass - AKA washing off Dean's ATV.  Thanks Muncle Mikell!

Mikell stayed until Tuesday morning.  We had a great time getting to visit with him.

Kayleigh is still asking where Muncle Mikell is.  Of course, she tells me every day that she's going to "go to air-port an' get on Daddy-plane an' go to Gram and Bapa's House!"  She either has a great memory, or loves her relatives more than Mommy and Daddy...

A new way to watch TV

Kayleigh didn't want to miss any of Cars.  So, she brought her little potty out to the TV.

Kayleigh's new bike

For Christmas, we were going to ask Santa to bring Kayleigh a bike, but an accident with the tricycle (as in Daddy accidentally running it over with the truck) forced us to buy her a bike.  Because Kayleigh without a bike was unfathomable.

Kayleigh rides her new bike - a sort of happy 1st day of school present.

Saturday bike ride to the gas station.

The kids enjoy their TummE YummEs outside the Mobil station.

Visiting Gram and Bapa

On August 22, the kids and I went up to Little Rock to visit Gram and Bapa for a super short visit.  We went up on Monday and came back on Wednesday.  Why? you ask.  Well, because:
1) Kayleigh had been wanting to fly on a Daddy-airplane.
2) Both kids had been wanting to go to Gram and Bapa's house
3) Shane wanted to work some overtime, but rarely does it if we're around (and we were gone for most of his weekend - Sun, Mon, Tues)

When we got there, we went to Cothams, home of the hubcap burger, for lunch.  Logan ate a whole "lug-nut" burger himself!  These burgers are for kids?  It was like 1/3 pound burger!

Gram and Bapa saved their new freezer box, and the kids had a fun time drawing and water coloring on it.  Here they are in the window of their little house.  It even had a welcome mat (well, in it).

On Tuesday, after going to the Shack (other burger joint - where they know Gram and Bapa and their order before they hit the door - seriously, I think Heather handed them their drinks as they walked in!), we went to the Cold Water Dam on Lake Ouchita.  The dam produces electricity and takes water close to the bottom of the lake.  The water is so cold, there were cool breezes and fog on the river.  We got our feet wet to test the temperature.  Some of us got a little more wet than others.  Logan in his boxer briefs and Kayleigh in her diaper.  Oh well!  They dry eventually!

We also took the kids to Lake Balboa to swim.  This time they actually wore appropriate swim attire!  Both of them have really improved - Logan was doing a little freestyle, and trying to get rocks off the bottom of the lake, and Kayleigh was swimming between people.  They had a great time!  They love going to the beach!

On Wednesday before we left, it was raining.  So we stayed inside and the kids made dinosaur/flower cards for Daddy.  They had a great time sticking things on the paper.  Thanks Gram for the help!

We had a great time on our short visit.  I'm sure it was just enough for the grandparents - and just enough for the kids to be ready to go back!

School!

Both Kayleigh and Logan started preschool this year at First Baptist Church Dickinson. We weren't going to put Kayleigh in, but it ended up being cheaper for the Bible study I'm in, CBS, to send her to preschool than hire a babysitter for her on Tuesday.

Here are Logan and his teachers, Ms Jennifer (kneeling - an Aggie mechanical engineer! She said she feels God has called her to be here with the kids though), and Ms Nancy. His paper he brought home on the first day of school said, "He had a great day! No problems at all - listed well to directions. He is a sweetie." I'm glad he was good for them!

Kayleigh with her teachers, Ms Debbie (right) and Ms Angie. Ms Debbie and Ms Angie are a mother-daughter team. The first day of school, Kayleigh, who chose her wedge heels, took her shoes off to play in the gravel playground. She was also the first one to sleep at naptime, and the last one to wake up. When I asked her how school was, she said "I got to play with babies", and I'm not sure if she played with baby dolls, or if she considers the other kids in her class "babies".

The first day of school - ready to go!

I think the kids did better at school than I did. Logan claimed he would go to school and "cry about you, Mom", but apparently, that didn't happen. I was bummed driving to CBS, since I'm so used to having chatter in the car. I can't believe they're in school!

Dmitri's birthday party

Dmitri Fontinopolous's 5th birthday party was on August 27th. The theme was creepy-crawlies! Crocodile Encounters came with some snakes, lizards, and alligators. It was pretty amazing! Here is Dmitri with the man from Crocodile Encounters and his dad. Dmitri was a little unsure of the big monitor lizard.

I was very impressed with Kayleigh and Logan, they touch every animal they were allowed to touch (they were not allowed to touch the alligator turtle - it can snap off a finger!). Here Logan touches a lizard - I don't remember which one it was.

Here Kayleigh touches a native Texan snake - the bull snake. It got its name from being found in cow pastures in west Texas.

The kids even touched a very small American alligator (which, full grown, has 5000 psi of pressure in its jaws!), and a Siamese crocodile. Both the alligator and crocodile had their mouths duct taped shut. Legal to do to reptiles, not to children - heehee!

Kayleigh and Logan had a great time, but because of when it was, after the animals left, Kayleigh went to pieces. Naptime! So we took our cupcakes home and took naps. But it was a really great party!

Carter's birthday party

On August 20, the kids and I went to Chuck E Cheese for Carter Hennan's third birthday party. It was sort of a madhouse since there were 5 or 6 parties going on at the same time!

The birthday boy with his mom, Meredith.

YUM! Pepperoni pizza and a cheesy smile!

Both kids enjoyed their pizza - finished off a piece each, which is rare for them.

Carter was generous enough with Logan to let him help unwrap his presents. Carter would start the unwrapping, and Logan would help finish it. Such teamwork!

Coloring with markers...

If you give a girl a marker -

make sure it's washable!

Paleontologists

Sometimes, we are able to find Dinosaur Egg Oatmeal - when you add hot water the eggs dissolve and colorful dinosaurs appear.

Here are the little paleontologists looking through the dirt/oatmeal to find any dinosaurs.

Working on the car

This August, Shane changed the breaks on the Grand Prix. I thought he looked like he was a Filipino working on the car in a sleeveless shirt and no shoes. Just trying to make me feel at home!

This is what happens when you help Daddy with the car! You get dirty hands!

Covetous dog

This is our dear, sweet, Bug. He is not a good Christian dog, because he is constantly breaking the 10th commandment - he covets his neighbor's Cheerios. And occasionally, he breaks the 8th commandment - he steals Cheerios (or sandwiches, or pizza, etc). I guess everyone is a work in progress!

New sleeping arrangements

The kids have been trying some new sleeping arrangements. It takes them a while to get to sleep when they're in the same bed, but generally, they do go to sleep. Though, the problem is, they wake each other up at 5am!

And this is how Daddy's get little boys ready for bed! Pull up on, check! Nightshirt on, check!

Swimming

Once we got back in July, the kids went to swim lessons three times a week for three weeks at the College of the Mainland. Kayleigh was by far the youngest kid, and Logan was one of the younger kids.

Logan kicks by himself.

This was Logan's favorite teacher, Ms Tammi. He would specifically request her!

Kayleigh floats with the kids other teacher.

Daddy went with us on Monday and Wednesday. The kids loved that he sat on the pool edge with them. By the end, he was just as wet as they were!

Kayleigh wanted to do everything by herself. Here she kicks to the wall.

Logan may not have done too well in freestyle during swim class, but at home he could swim pretty well - and his form was not too bad either. He may not do it in class, but at least he brings it home!

Kayleigh has become more confident in the water than she was at the beginning of the year. She swims to the ladder, jumps off the ladder, and lays back to float.

The swim lessons were great - since they helped the kids gain confidence in the water!