Friday, April 29, 2011
Free Pictures
Last weekend when we were in Kansas City we went to a little neighborhood Easter festival that was so cute. They had so many fun things including a free photographer, sketch artist, face painting, lunch, bounce houses. We had a great time and here are the cute photos to prove it.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Austin
We went to Austin, TX April 15-17 and had the BEST time. The kids were awesome on the 3 hour car trip. Cadence watched Elmo most of the time and Jack Ranger was just content to hang out. We stayed at a Spring Hill Suites near where my sister Courtney and brother-in-law Ryan live and while the room wasn't huge, we all fit just fine and the kids and I enjoyed the free breakfast.
On Friday night we pulled into town pretty late so Courtney and Ryan came to help us unload and then we all went to bed. Courtney was running a 1/2 marathon on Saturday morning so our great friend Christy Rome came and picked us up at the hotel and we headed to Zilker park. The weather was perfect and it was the best park ever. A little train, natural springs with lots of shallow water to play in, a big shaded play area, nice picnic benches where Christy had to buy us snacks because I forgot money, and lots of space to run around. We stayed at the park for almost 5 hours and Courtney and Ryan ended up joining us there and then taking us back to the hotel. I loved that Cadie kept calling Christy "Christy Romas" because our favorite family restaurant is called Romas.
On Sunday morning we met Mary's dad, State Rep. Phil King, at the capitol for a private tour. This is Cadence and Jack Ranger sitting in his chair.
Courtney and Ryan are wonderful with both kids, but it was especially cute because Jack Ranger fell asleep on Courtney during the tour and she loved snuggling with him.
A few of the other trip highlights included Saturday evening out with Courtney and Ryan and our friends James and Angela Dildine. We put the kids to bed at Courtney's place (which is so cute - she is a good decorator) with a sitter and then we went out to a nice dinner at Carmelo's and the late show of Esther's Follies...is one of our favorite live comedy/music shows and it didn't disappoint.
On Friday night we pulled into town pretty late so Courtney and Ryan came to help us unload and then we all went to bed. Courtney was running a 1/2 marathon on Saturday morning so our great friend Christy Rome came and picked us up at the hotel and we headed to Zilker park. The weather was perfect and it was the best park ever. A little train, natural springs with lots of shallow water to play in, a big shaded play area, nice picnic benches where Christy had to buy us snacks because I forgot money, and lots of space to run around. We stayed at the park for almost 5 hours and Courtney and Ryan ended up joining us there and then taking us back to the hotel. I loved that Cadie kept calling Christy "Christy Romas" because our favorite family restaurant is called Romas.
On Sunday morning we met Mary's dad, State Rep. Phil King, at the capitol for a private tour. This is Cadence and Jack Ranger sitting in his chair.
Courtney and Ryan are wonderful with both kids, but it was especially cute because Jack Ranger fell asleep on Courtney during the tour and she loved snuggling with him.
A few of the other trip highlights included Saturday evening out with Courtney and Ryan and our friends James and Angela Dildine. We put the kids to bed at Courtney's place (which is so cute - she is a good decorator) with a sitter and then we went out to a nice dinner at Carmelo's and the late show of Esther's Follies...is one of our favorite live comedy/music shows and it didn't disappoint.We also joined the Dildines on Sunday afternoon for a casual potluck. We headed back late Sunday night, but we had such a great time and packed in as much fun, family and friends as we possibly could in one weekend. I hope to go back again soon.
Garden
Today Mary and Cadie made indoor flower and herb gardens. We can't wait to use fresh basil! Cadie and Jack Ranger both love Mary so much (and I do too!). Today I worked from home and I ran out to get some lunch. I asked Cadie if she wanted to come with me or stay and play with Mary. She opted to stay and play with Mary.
Mary is moving in with us in May. She is so brave! Her Dad, State Rep. Phil King, wanted to check us out so we met him down in Austin two weekend ago. He was wonderful and gave us a tour of the Texas Capitol. He and Cadence got along well. I told him how much we loved his daughter and that we would take good care of her. I guess we passed because she is still planning to come stay with us :)
Mary is moving in with us in May. She is so brave! Her Dad, State Rep. Phil King, wanted to check us out so we met him down in Austin two weekend ago. He was wonderful and gave us a tour of the Texas Capitol. He and Cadence got along well. I told him how much we loved his daughter and that we would take good care of her. I guess we passed because she is still planning to come stay with us :)
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Jack Ranger: 6 months
My sweet baby boy is 6 months! These pictures are from his 5 month photo session, but I haven't had a chance to post them so I figure now is a good time.
- He is rolling all over and starting to rock back and forth on his hands and knees
- He sleeps through the night in his crib. Usually 12 hours a night.
- He loves his jumper.
- He also is quite the grabber lately and loves to grab at toys, necklaces or earrings
- We keep a blanket on the living room floor and he loves to lay on that blanket, play with toys and watch the household
- He isn't blabbling all that much, but he does have a few periods during the day when he squeals a lot. He is the strong but silent type.
- He will nurse or take a bottle and is just fine with either
- He is a super smiler and smiles almost all day long and rarely cries
- He sucks either thumb and seems to like them both equally.
He bring us so much joy and love and we are proud to be his parents!
Stats: At his 6 mo. dr. appt today he was 16.2 lbs. (50%), 25.5 inches (20%), 16 3/4 Head circumference (30%).
- He is rolling all over and starting to rock back and forth on his hands and knees
- He sleeps through the night in his crib. Usually 12 hours a night.
- He loves his jumper.
- He also is quite the grabber lately and loves to grab at toys, necklaces or earrings
- We keep a blanket on the living room floor and he loves to lay on that blanket, play with toys and watch the household
- He isn't blabbling all that much, but he does have a few periods during the day when he squeals a lot. He is the strong but silent type.
- He will nurse or take a bottle and is just fine with either
- He is a super smiler and smiles almost all day long and rarely cries
- He sucks either thumb and seems to like them both equally.
He bring us so much joy and love and we are proud to be his parents!
Stats: At his 6 mo. dr. appt today he was 16.2 lbs. (50%), 25.5 inches (20%), 16 3/4 Head circumference (30%).
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Scarborough Faire
We went to Scarborough Faire yesterday with DD, Big John, Uncle Pee Wee (Preston), and Ascucena (Preston's girlfriend). The weather was beautiful and we had a wonderful time. It was sort-of a celebration for Big John's birthday, which is tomorrow, but we didn't really get to celebrate the birthday because we were too busy checking out the jousting, watching the parade, getting Cadie's face painted, eating, etc. Jack Ranger took a little snooze in the bottom of the stroller.
Jack Ranger kept pulling at the sparkles on Cadie's costume, but overall they did well in the stroller together. Grant got this stroller while I was pregnant with Cadie and I thought it was a little silly since we didn't have any kids yet and it was so big. But it can be a stroller and also converts to be pulled behind a bike and I love it now. It has tons of storage and was perfect for the terrain at the fairgrounds. (Aunt Courtney Joyce, notice the cute pumas!)
Cadie picked out this flower herself.
Acuscena took Cadie to watch the parade. I got this little Jasmine outfit for Cadie while I was in Turkey. There was another little girl wearing the exact same outfit and Big John asked where they got it, and they got it in Turkey! I was so glad they didn't get it at Target or something because then it wouldn't a very special souvenir.
Jack Ranger kept pulling at the sparkles on Cadie's costume, but overall they did well in the stroller together. Grant got this stroller while I was pregnant with Cadie and I thought it was a little silly since we didn't have any kids yet and it was so big. But it can be a stroller and also converts to be pulled behind a bike and I love it now. It has tons of storage and was perfect for the terrain at the fairgrounds. (Aunt Courtney Joyce, notice the cute pumas!) 
Cadie picked out this flower herself. 
Acuscena took Cadie to watch the parade. I got this little Jasmine outfit for Cadie while I was in Turkey. There was another little girl wearing the exact same outfit and Big John asked where they got it, and they got it in Turkey! I was so glad they didn't get it at Target or something because then it wouldn't a very special souvenir. 
Monday, April 4, 2011
A few last pictures from Turkey
The Serpentine Column is an ancient bronze column in the Hippodrome that was part of an ancient Greek sacrifical tripod and was located to Turkey in 324. It has one of the longest literary histories of any object surviving from Greek and Roman antiquity and it at least 2,487 years old.
The spice market - I loved the shopping and brought back scarves, Turkish delight candies and a real jasmine outfit for Cadence.
The ceiling inside the walls of the Harem at the Topkapi Palace which was the residence for the sultans for almost 300 years. 4,000 people lived in the Palace and today it is a museum where I saw the 7th largest diamond in the world and also artifacts such as Abraham's bowl, Joseph's head dressing and a bone from the hand of John the Baptist.
The spice market - I loved the shopping and brought back scarves, Turkish delight candies and a real jasmine outfit for Cadence. 
The ceiling inside the walls of the Harem at the Topkapi Palace which was the residence for the sultans for almost 300 years. 4,000 people lived in the Palace and today it is a museum where I saw the 7th largest diamond in the world and also artifacts such as Abraham's bowl, Joseph's head dressing and a bone from the hand of John the Baptist. 
St. Sophia
St. Sophia, the Church of the Divine Wisdom, was built during Emperor Justinian's reign (AD 537) and it remained the greatest church in Christendom until the conquest of Constantinople in 1453 by Sultan Mehmet II who ordered to convert Hagia Sophia into a mosque. It was the largest church in the world for nearly 1,000 years. As I walked through this building and thought about it being built in AD 537 I was in awe. I saw the chambers where it is said that the leaders of the day gathered to discuss topic such as the acceptance of the Trinity and other significant theogolical decisions. The building is overwhelming large and beautiful. You can tell that is has been retrofitted as a mosque because it does not face east and so there is a strange building inside that faces east and there are large muslim writings added to the walls. It was built quickly for it's time, in a large part because they "borrowed" materials from other countries and buildings. Our tour guide said that the large green marble columns are said to have come from a temple to Athena in Rome. It was just incredible to think about what has happened in the church and how it was created. I am so thankful that Grant convinced me to stay an extra day to see the sites. 
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