Sometimes, you just get so sleepy - September 25

Sometimes, a little girl just gets so sleepy that she falls asleep talking to the aunties on her scooter!

Endeavor fly-by - September 19

So, Houston got gypped out of a space shuttle resting in the home of NASA, but we did get a fly by.  Small consolation prize - but it was really cool.  The plane flew extremely low - and I thought it was going to run into our house!  It was much lower than the planes in the landing pattern for either Hobby or Ellington.  The shuttle, the 747 it was piggybacked on, and the escort plane went around several times.

Big Flachmans and the beach - September 17

Daddy took a half day of vacation on Monday September 17, and we met the Big Flachman family down in Freeport.  They were staying at Jenn's mom and dad's new beach house.  The kids had a great time at the beach.  We even saw some dolphins playing in the same area we were playing in!

The brothers had a good time hanging out and catching up.

My little man running in and out of the water.

We buried people in the sand.  Logan enjoyed digging the holes which gave everyone a headstart on burying people in the sand.

Logan really likes digging in the sand - and making really deep holes.

Jayden gets in on the fun!

Kayleigh and Abby had a great time hanging out together - the only two Flachman girls.

Kayleigh had to get whipped around to get all the sand off... I think it has nothing to do with Daddy being good at being fun!

After the beach, and getting changed, we found a tasty place in Freeport that fixed gluten free food for the Big Flachman family.  What a neat place!  We heard from the cook, from the two managers, and our waitress about how they can cook gluten free.  But besides gluten free - they have amazing grilled veggies!  They were absolutely delicious, and I'm drooling now as I think about them!

Dmitri's birthday party - September 15

Saturday, September 15, Dmitri Fontinopolous had his sixth birthday party at Crocodile Encounters in Alvin.  This was actually the same group that came to their house last year, but this year, we went to the actual location.

The birthday boy with our tour guide, Leonard. (Seriously, how many 18 year olds do you know who are named "Leonard".  Weird, if you ask me.)

 

The first place we went was an open field with African tortoises.  Tortoises do have nerves and blood in their shells - it's kind of like the feeling you have in your knee or elbow, a little less than everywhere else, but you can still feel it.  The kids had fun running after (or to them) and petting them.

We saw a few American alligators (didn't get any great pictures through the fence).  They were pretty big - but apparently are not quite as dangerous as the Nile crocodile.  The American alligator lives a solitary life and eats mainly small things like raccoons, turtles, etc.  The Nile crocodile hunts in packs and in the wild will take down wildebeests.  They are responsible for about 300 deaths a year in Africa.  They may be smaller, but don't mess with these guys!

The turtles live with the Nile crocodiles - and will try and steal the chicken halves from the crocs.  It's funny to see these two compete!  Slider turtles have some speed!

These Nile crocodiles are watching and waiting...

The little capybara - a Rodent Of Unusual Size (ROUS).  It is about the size of our smaller dog, Zoe, and was pretty tame.  It came over for some lovin' from all the kids at the birthday party.

We got to feed the potbellied pigs - sort of.  It was more, throw the food over the side, as Kayleigh is doing.

Not that the pigs minded eating from the ground.  Oink!

After the tour, we had some super yummy Little Caesar's Pizza and Capri Suns.  Yay!  Good stuff on a hot day!

Dmitri's mom, Corrina, made some amazing cupcakes.  Sea turtles - and she also made some alligator ones.  They were super tasty!

And of course, blowing out the candles.  Many of the kids at the party were from our street, Levi, Angel, Brock, Josie, Gabe.  It was a really fun day!  Thanks for being born Dmitri, and happy sixth year!

I AM working - September 14

Shane's version of working in the flower bed.  Pepsi Max in hand!  (he actually was working...he found it easier to get at weeds from their own level)

New pool time - September 11

When is it time for a new pool?  When you ladder leg gives out, when the side of the pool starts to rust through, and when GRASS starts growing THROUGH your pool!

Yup, it's time for a new pool.

Texas State Aquarium - September 5

Shane and I decided that we would do something a little different for fun one week.  On Wednesday, September 5, we got up a little early, and hit the road to Corpus Christi.  It's about a 4 hour drive from our house to Corpus.  We were going to go to the Texas State Aquarium down there.  Please excuse the grainy photos - I had a brain fart and forgot my digital camera I take everywhere at home.  Shane was sweet and let me buy a disposable camera (they do still make them!).  What a sweetie for knowing how much I love pictures!

The Aquarium is just before this BIG bridge.  Logan loves big bridges, and K gets excited about them too, so we got a picture in front of the big bridge.  Before we went home, we went over the bridge because we could - not because it was on the way home.

Smiling for the camera, while trying not to get too wet, in front of the Aquarium.

The seahorse exhibit - where you can almost be IN the water with them.  Look, they were resting on Logan's bubble!

Holding hermit crabs - they tickle, and make Kayleigh shriek!

There were 6 sea turtles in the tank outside.  Kayleigh enjoyed watching them glide under the water.

And then, so cool - we got to feed the stingrays.  I think all the rays had been de-stingered, thank goodness.  They are really slimy feeling - because they are bottom dwellers and eat things off the bottom that may be covered in bacteria, the stingrays ooze a mucus, making them slimy.  Not really what I was expecting - I guess I thought they would feel like a shark, rough and not slimy at all.

To feed the stingrays, you purchase trays of little fish.  Then you put the fish tail between your pointer and middle fingers.  Then you plant the palm of your hand against the wall.  The fish faces outward, and the stingray comes along and just sort of sucks it from between your fingers.  Pretty neat!  Both kids did a good job of being patient and not freaking out when they fed them.

And of course, we had to hit up the splash pad... here Kayleigh and Logan try to squirt each other - but I don't think the guns reach that far.

Kayleigh just enjoys spraying the hose.

So does Logan...

Here are the wet kiddos with one of the animal ambassadors, a hawk.  This hawk is missing a wing, so cannot be released in to the wild.  And she really likes to get her picture taken!

The kids actually got to help out at the Dolphin show.  There were two dolphins at the Texas State Aquarium.  One was trained to choose the circle.  And the kids finally got the hang of holding the shapes up to the glass so the dolphin could see...

At one point in the show, the dolphins showed off their "fluke-slapping" where they slap their strong tails on the water.  This is to show dominance or to make fish easier to catch...either way, it's a SPLASH!

And the splash got Kayleigh and Logan wet!  Kayleigh was okay with being wet, but Mr Logan was NOT happy about it!

We had a fun time at the aquarium, and stayed almost until closing.  It was very interactive, and they had interesting and informative shows.  Then we headed to the beach for a few minutes of kid swim.  Of course, we weren't expecting to stay long, so we didn't put their swimsuits back on.  Mistake!  Both got completely wet!  Oh well.  And so much for that day wearing them out - neither kid slept on the way home.  We may take a long weekend to Corpus in the future.  We had a great time!

Sometimes at our house - September 2012

There are some crazy things afoot at the Flachman house.

Sometimes, a little girl has a sore on her bottom that is too big for Princess or Dora Band-Aids. So it gets doctored up by Mommy.  And all true fashionistas know that no outfit is truly complete without heels...

And sometimes a little boy needs to put his truck on ramps to work on it...

And other times, wet little fishies get out of the pool and have sword fights...

And still other times, we find there is a Logan-bird in our pear tree out front.  Or maybe it's a  Logan-squirrel, since it scampers up as high as he can (usually over Mommy's head), dashes back down, and runs around squeaking and talking as he goes...

Those are also the times when a little sister also scampers up trees, but is not so good at dashing down.  Sisters tend to scrape down the tree, which causes much crying and concern.  But after Princess Band-Aids are applied, battle wounds can be proudly displayed.

These are Some Times at our house!

First Day of First Years 2012 - September 4

Of course, the kids love stamping, so we went to Michael's one day, and bought some card making stuff for our teachers.  Each kid stamped their own apples and put on the stickers.  I think they turned out pretty nice!  Kayleigh wanted her cards horizontal, and Logan wanted his vertical.

The big boy with his teacher, Ms Karen.  He's in the super big kid class now.  He "graduates" this spring (yes, Mommy is a little sad)!

Kayleigh with her teachers, Ms Jessica (r) and Ms. Crissy (l).  Kayleigh's good friend, Evelyn, is in her class.  They were sitting at the same table, but I think they moved them after one day...

CBS Childrens Teachers - August 30

Okay, so I have to put a picture in the blog of my sweet (and slightly crazy) friends and fellow CBS Childrens teachers.  They are amazing women, and I am learning so much from them!  So, back row (r to l): Jodi Moorman, Mariko Fujii, Jody Graumann (my co-teacher), Ruth Balch, Gwen Shivers, Shirley Owen (our fearless leader).  Front row (r to l): Leslee Miller, Kristeen Keon, Dawn Lamb, Kacy Kossum, and Karen Flachman (me!)

So, Shirley thinks that it's hilarious to do "the Sears Catalogue" pose.  You know, where you look anywhere but the camera?  Heehee....aren't we purdy?