Beginning of Colorado

Over Spring Break we got to take the boys out of state for the first time!  It was really difficult to do when they were in foster care and to be honest a bit overwhelming.  So, this was the perfect time and also our longest trip as a family of 4.  We drove to Colorado and spent 4 of our 9 day vacation in the car.  I'm sure you all think we are crazy, but honestly our kids do amazing in the car!  It was fun to take pictures at the signs entering each new state and talk about what a state is.  I'm not sure what is up with the "Land of Enchantment" but there seems to be bullet holes in the sign!

The long road there provided a lot of quality time!

Finally in Colorado!
 

All that driving was SO worth it with beautiful scenes like these right outside our hotel window!

My sweet husband booked a suite and I was so grateful for the extra space and the door between the bedroom and the "living room" where the kids were.  The boys loved sleeping on a pull out couch too!

Truly, the beauty of the mountains and snow is breathtaking!

Thank you God for the beauty of your creation!

Post card worthy photos at every turn are the reason I took 1,072 pictures in 9 days!

And to share this beauty with our precious boys...

and their handsome Daddy is the true gift!

Easter 2011

Our boys are at great ages for really beginning to understand the significance of Easter. I am challenged daily by the theological conversations we have and by the questions they ask. 

How did they get this big!

We used crayons to decorate the eggs before dying them.

Easter egg cross

Handsome fellas!

We went to an Easter egg hunt in our community

and had one at home.

Our handsome boys on Easter Sunday! I love a little boy in a tie...so cute!

The Spencers were kind enough to snap this picture of our family after the Easter Sunday service.

We had my parents over for Easter lunch and used our new dining room table and china for the first time!

We love you, Gran and Papa D!

Another family picture with our new china cabinet

The boys enjoyed their Easter baskets from the Easter bunny too!

Spring Time Family Fun

We've been enjoying the spring weather at the Heritage Folk Festival.

Wearing shades...

pacifying mom by posing for pictures...

and petting a baby alligator. Oh the joys (and terrors) of being a boy mom!

We also got to enjoy some family fun cheering on our Astros at Opening Day at Minute Maid Park!

We also celebrated with Cousin Austin for his birthday!

And Uncle Jeff got some Liam lovin' in!

We've had a fun start to Spring!

School Rocks!

Angel's first grade teacher is so sweet and works hard to make learning fun. In the spring, Mrs. E hosted a reading restaurant called the Pancake Palace. Each student donning a chef hat picked their parents up at the door of the classroom and took them to their table to this set up complete with a menu.

Chef Angel read all the books on the menu to us in this sweet get up. Be still my heart!

The school also hosts an annual fun event for the whole school called, Funky Friday. This was our second year and this year's theme was "school rocks!" Angel shared his shirt from last year with Jonathan, so they could both wear a Funky Friday shirt to the event. They got their hair painted.

And jumped until their hearts were content!

This boy was born to bounce!

The "Radio" and Celebrating Baby J

I am seriously frustrated with myself and the lack of blog posts so I know you must be too!  These pictures have been uploaded for a while just waiting for my commentary.  Oh well.  Here goes...

We took the kids to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo again this year!   They kept calling the Rodeo, the "Radio" hence the title.  We had a day filled with family fun!  My sweet boys are so photogenic and patient with me taking their picture All.The.Time!

They had an exhibit just like Little Hands on the Farm at the State Fair of Texas where you pretend to be a farmer!  The boys loved it, especially "selling" their goods for a snack!

Here they are posing with the real cows before "milking" the pretend cows inside the barn!

They worked up an appetite, so afterwards they shared a corn dog with Daddy!  You can't go to a carnival and not eat carnival food!

The petting zoo was a big hit too, especially the baby kangaroo!  Here J is hoping up and down like a kangaroo!

I love seeing all the brand new baby animals at the birthing center!  This is always my favorite part!

Mommy with her boys before checking out the cars and tractors!

Thumbs up for the Houston Livestock Show and "Radio"!

On a completely different note except for the connection of boyness.  I got the privilege of co-hosting a baby shower for my sweet friend Alissa during the same weekend.  She is having a baby boy named Jason next week!  His big sister Sophie is one of our little J's favorite friends too!  She is so sweet and will be an amazing big sister!  

She takes such good care of her baby dolls, so we know she will do great with their baby J!

I had so much fun making this diaper cake for Alissa!  I am just itching to host another baby shower so I can make another one!  Congrats Franklins and we can't wait to meet baby J in just a few short days!