Going "Baninas" and more...

Good Morning Jack!

2011-03-26T21:57:00.003-05:00

Well, the other morning I shot a short video of my efforts to wake Jack up for school on my new iPhone. Apparently I did not understand that Jack was not ready to get up for school, so Jack had to make a point..... I am seriously considering sending this to America's Funniest Home Videos. I am afraid to think how this scenario will be playing out for me in 10 years. Enjoy!

Nutcracker Dance

2010-12-15T19:48:00.001-06:00

Today was Kaylyn's last dance class before the holiday break. As a surprise, Ms. Melissa had them perform 2 numbers for the parents and then the girls had a cupcake party before class ended. Kaylyn LOVES her ballet/tap class!

Family Portraits

2010-12-08T06:54:00.002-06:00

Our annual family portraits were taken at Portrait Innovations last week.

Donuts with Dad

2010-12-08T06:51:00.002-06:00

Last week Palmer Elementary had a Donuts with Dad event . It started at 7am and Brian had been dreading the day for 2 weeks. He kept saying to me, there is no way I am going to be able to get up that early and go with the 2 of them to that. But we know from past experience that Kaylyn has the memory of an elephant and is very aware of all school events and their dates. After listening to Brian complain about not wanting to get up early and go for 2 weeks, I finally said the night before – just tell her you all aren’t going to go because it’s too early. She’ll be disappointed, but she’ll recover from it. It’s not like he hasn’t taken her to every single event at school this year (even when I am at work and he has to take them by himself). Well, I go to work that morning and check Facebook when I have a moment and what do I find?? Pictures from Donuts with Dad…..Brian is such a good daddy, I knew he would take her!

Visiting Saint Nick

2010-12-08T06:47:00.002-06:00

Well, I can’t sleep so I am posting several separate posts about recent events since I am so behind on my blog. Here are the kid’s Santa Pictures. We took them at First Colony mall the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. We had just seen Tangled at the movie theater. The kids were having a great day and were excited to see Santa. Kaylyn went first to show Jack how it’s done. She had brought her own handwritten wish list (off the Toys R Us catalog). Her and Santa read it together before their picture was taken. The list comprised of Moon Dough Pizza, Playdough Presto Dots, Crayola markers, and Moon Sand. Such an easy girl to please – she really doesn’t ask for much! Jack also got to spend quality time with Saint Nick. They sat together for a couple of minutes talking before their picture. I have no idea what they discussed.

Dancing Queen

2010-12-08T06:01:00.004-06:00

Kaylyn loves to sing and the other day Brian heard her singing a new song to herself. He had no idea what song it was, but could only make out the lyrics "Party in the USA". He looked it up in iTunes and found out that it is a Miley Cyrus song. We didn't know where she had learned this song, but my best guess was that she learned it at school (since she learned the macarena there already!) The next day, Brian played the song he had downloaded on iTunes while Kaylyn was playing on her computer. She immediately started head-bobbing and moving to the beat in her chair, and eventually got up to dance. Brian then played it for her the next night and caught the new dance moves on the Flip. LOL - She's already so grown up! I guess we've entered the Hannah Montana stage....

Brian's Video Documentary

2010-12-07T20:55:00.004-06:00

Recently Brian finished working on a film/photo/video documentary piece of his life so far. It moved me to tears, especially the parts about the births of our children. It is beautifully done and so I want to share it with everyone. He chose music from the LOST soundtrack and I think it suits the video perfectly. Enjoy, and if you want to leave him feedback, click here to go to his genealogy pwebsite and leave a comment.

A picture speaks a thousand words :)

2010-11-05T21:37:00.000-05:00

Pumpkin Patch Ballet

2010-10-31T14:56:00.004-05:00

This past Saturday was Kaylyn's first performance with her ballet class from Sugar Land Dance Center at the Pumpkin Patch and Holy Cross Episcopal Church in Sugar Land. Above is the video I took on the Flip camera.
Afterwards, the kids played on the playground. Jack dressed up in costume for the occasion. Click here to see some of the photos that I took.

Frantic Fall Fun

2010-10-01T20:56:00.007-05:00

Below is an assortment of video clips from the recent goings-on. I have been so busy with the kids and their activities and work (we had our EPIC go-live this week) that I have not been posting regularly. I am trying to catch up now...

This first clip is of Jack doing his stretches at gymnastics class. He used to have melt-downs and insist on my being on the mat with him. The coach told us that we needed to physically leave the building for a few classes until he got used to being in class without us visible. This week we stayed for the first time in a month. He didn't even look at us once the whole class. He's getting so good and following directions!!

This clip is from Kaylyn's ballet/tap class. They are wearing their costume tutus for a practice run of their Pumpkin Patch dance. Kaylyn's class has been invited to perform at Holy Cross Episcopal Church Pumpkin Patch event on Saturday, October 30th. Anyone who is interested is invited to come watch! I think the performance is at 3:30pm. I will post more details at the date gets closer.

This final video clip is from my dad's birthday dinner at my parent's house. Kaylyn had baked a chocolate cake with minimal help from her dad. She even cracked the eggs by herself (no shells in the cake!). She then frosted it with white icing and her brother helped decorate it with sprinkles. We all sang happy birthday and had cake after dinner.

Future Golden Globe Winner

2010-09-15T21:12:00.002-05:00

Well, obviously the Davis family has become quite busy since school started.

Kaylyn LOVES kindergarten and her new ballet/tap classes.

Jack is attending Colony Kids 2 year-old class twice a week.

We got a new shower after a leak was found under the old one.

Finally, my dad had his total knee replacement surgery done today.

I've been running around like a chicken with its head cut off and Brian should win a "Mr. Mommy of the Year " award for taking care of running the kids around to all their activities and keeping the house in working order.

Now, the video above was a totally improvised clip. Kaylyn and her brother decided to don hats and silly sunglasses one night after their bath and run around the living room. I turned on the video camera and told Kaylyn to "say something" and this is what I got! I've been told by a couple of people that she needs to be in theater classes. Maybe one day she'll be on Broadway or the silver screen....

Dancing Princess

2010-08-25T20:45:00.002-05:00

Well, I think we made a good decision to cancel soccer and let Kaylyn take Tap / Pre-ballet. I took her on Monday afternoon after school to the Sugar Land Dance Center to take a tour and watch a class. We both liked the dance studio very much and registered her that day. Today was her first class and it looks like she did really well.....Brian may have to practice his hairbun making skills though, LOL! I was sad that I missed the first class, but I am so glad that Brian caught some of it on video!

First Day of Kindergarten

2010-08-23T09:30:00.003-05:00

Well, we set out at 07:30am to make sure we had enough time to get to her school. We parked down the street and walked to the school together. Jack was a big, grumpy mess and Kaylyn was super-excited. When we got to her classroom we ran into an old childhood friend of mine. One of his daughters is starting kindergarten in the classroom next door. Then, when we go inside, Kaylyn sees an old classmate from Pre-K at Colony Kids. She smiles and says good-bye to us with no problem. However, her brother Jack cries for her the entire way back to the car. Then, to top it off, when we get home, he won't have anything to do with me. He only wants his daddy. So I did fine up until then, then I did break down and cry. It's so weird not having Kaylyn running around the house after she was here all summer.

Click here to see pictures.

2010-08-23T09:12:00.005-05:00

Last Wednesday we celebrated Brian's 35th birthday. We had dinner at Russo's NY Pizzeria. We then headed back to the house to surprise daddy with his Star Wars cake. The kids had a great time singing happy birthday to daddy and helping him blow out the candles. Brian got a new iPod Touch and accessories - just like he wished for!

To see more pictures from the event, click here.

Galveston Fun

2010-08-03T10:41:00.004-05:00

Well, we're back from Galveston and everyone is a little bit tanner. We had a good time. Clarissa had no idea how exhausting the 2 kids would be, especially after being in waterparks with them for 2 days!! We went to Moody Gardens on Saturday and did the Aquarium thing. Clarissa then took Kaylyn on the Ridefilm. After that we headed back to the hotel to eat lunch and change into swimsuits. We then spent the rest of the day at Palm Beach. For dinner that night we tried to go to Rainforest Cafe, but it was a 2 hour wait!! We went on the river ride at the restaurant then had dinner next door at Landry's instead.

Sunday we got up and packed up the car and checked out of the hotel. We had a nice breakfast at Starbucks before hitting Schlitterbahn. I had no idea that Schlitterbahn in Galveston was so toddler friendly. There were multiple kiddie pool areas, some in shade and some in sun. I also like that you can bring your own cooler into the park. The kids favorite part was the wave river...see above picture. Somehow I think Palm Beach will now just be a memory. They will want to go back to Schiltterbahn instead!!

To see the photos from the trip, click here.

2010-08-02T19:34:00.001-05:00

This video is so true....

The Greatest Show on Earth

2010-07-29T13:28:00.006-05:00

Well, I am a bit behind on my updates here, so let me try to catch up. Last Thursday my mom, my sister, and I took the kids to see the Ringling Brothers Circus at Reliant Stadium. We got cheap seats (they were actually good seats, just not expensive) through 97.9 The Box's website. The kids had a great time and my sister and I ended up spending more money at the circus than on the tickets themselves. The kids made out like bandits, as usual. Although I wouldn't agree that the Ringling Brothers Circus is "the greatest show on earth", it was entertaining. Kaylyn's favorite part was when Mr. Gravity (the evil clown) turned into a Bengal tiger. I personally liked the double human cannonballs just before intermission.

Now, Brian is off to Ohio with his mom to visit family and work on genealogy stuff. Meanwhile, I have the kids to myself until next Tuesday. Clarissa and I are planning to drive the kids down to Galveston on Friday afternoon to spend the weekend doing water activities. We have tickets to Schlitterbahn Galveston and Moody Gardens. We are staying at The Victorian Condos on the seawall. Pictures and stories to come next week when we get back. Hope everyone is having a great summer!

Summer Portraits

2010-07-15T16:02:00.005-05:00

Well, not much too going lately worth blogging about. But, today we FINALLY took portraits of the kids. I've been meaning to take them since Kaylyn's 5th birthday (May). We went to Portrait Innovations again. I am always pleased with their work, plus we get the photos immediately after the sitting. It was a rough start to the sitting since Jack was not having any of it. He was grumpy and throwing tantrums. He has definitely reached the "terrible twos". Thank goodness for the patient staff who took time to play with him until he warmed up to them. They managed to get him to smile in his pictures! Kaylyn on the other hand is an old pro at the picture-taking. In fact, the photographer called her "quite the ham." Again, we were pleased with our portraits. Click here to see some of our favorite poses.

Wicked

2010-07-03T23:32:00.003-05:00

I finally had a chance to see Wicked as it played here in Houston at The Hobby Center. Chris invited me to see it with her and some friends. We started off with a nice lunch at Artista, in The Hobby Center. We then attended a 2pm showing of Wicked. It was a great show, it was funny and had great music. I loved the 2 witches! I think I'm going to get on Amazon now and find the Gregory Maguire novel to download to my Kindle. Thanks for inviting me Chris!

The Glazery

2010-06-27T10:31:00.004-05:00

Brian took Jack to Lufkin on Thursday to spend a long weekend with Nia and Papa. Brian stayed the night on Thursday and then did genealogy research on Friday on the way back home. In the meantime, Kaylyn and I had mommy & daughter time! We started off by seeing The Karate Kid together on Thursday afternoon. Then, we picked up some Sonic and met Aunt Clarissa at the house who fixed our TV for us. "YAY AUNTIE!" On Friday, Kaylyn and I went to The Glazery to paint some pottery together. Kaylyn painted a coffee mug for her daddy and I painted an airplane keepsake box for Jack. They are being fired in the kiln and will be ready to pick up next week. I will post pics of the finished products when we pick them up. After painting, Kaylyn and I had a nice lunch at Pho Mai Vietnamese Noodle House. Then we took a trip to the new Sienna Branch Library to check out some new books. Kaylyn picked out some Curious George books to read before bedtime and I got a Tess Gerritsen audio book, The Bone Garden. We had a great day.

Kaylyn's First Fishing Trip

2010-06-20T21:15:00.002-05:00

Kaylyn and Jack went for their second visit of the summer to Nia and Papa's house. We started off with dinner Thursday night at Cafe Del Rio. Kaylyn ate quesadillas, chips, and tortillas with squeeze butter and honey. Our pediatrician would be proud of her nutritious meal ;) Friday we went and saw Toy Story 3 at the Lufkin Mall movie theatre. The crowd was well-behaved, the kids were well-behaved, and we enjoyed the movie. I even had unexpected tears at the end...who would've thought that a cartoon movie about toys would be so sentimental? Friday night, Brian and I headed back to Houston since we both had to work on Saturday. Saturday morning Kaylyn went fishing with her Papa, Uncle Scott, and a family friend. I've been told that she caught 2 fish and handled the minnows like a pro. I'm so proud!! See a video of her fishing trip HERE. Later in the afternoon, Kaylyn went to see Shrek Forever After with Nia while Jack hung out at the house with Papa and Uncle Scott. Sounds like they had an eventful weekend full of movies, crafts, and outdoor activities. I hope they're thoroughly worn out and go to bed without a sound tonight!!

Mini Olympics

2010-06-05T21:40:00.010-05:00

Kaylyn has been taking gymnastics classes at school on Wednesday mornings. Today was here Mini Olympics. It was a chance for her to show off what she has been learning in her class. The Mini Olympics was held at Alpha Omega Gymnastics. Kaylyn got to wear a Alpha Omega Gymnastics leotard as her uniform and perform for her mom, brother, grandma, grandpa, nia, papa, and aunt. She was so very excited to receive a trophy with her name on it and ribbons for each event: bars, beam, floor, and air track. Go Kaylyn!!!

To see more photos and video from Kaylyn's Mini Olympics, click here.

Galveston Trip

2010-06-05T21:40:00.008-05:00

As a late celebration for Kaylyn's birthday we spent the night in Galveston. I had made a reservation at the Moody Gardens Hotel with a package that included an all-inclusive 2-day pass to all Moody Garden attractions. We drove in Wednesday morning and checked into the hotel. We then spent most of the day at Palm Beach. The kids had fun as we rotated through the splash pad to the swimming pools to the water slides and then started all over again. We got lots of sun and had lots of fun in the water.

Later in the day we went up to the hotel room and took baths and got dressed for dinner. We drove down the seawall and had dinner at the Rainforest Cafe. We were having dinner and it was like a volcano epidemic.... the staff brought out at least 5 volcano desserts to other tables while we were eating, so we joined the crowd and ordered a volcano for us too! Brian and I couldn't finish off the large brownie and felt guilty for leaving some on the plate, it was so good!

The next morning we woke up to a view of Schlitterbahn next door. We'll go there when the kids are a little bit older. Instead, we ate a great breakfast at IHOP on the seawall and then saw all the sights at Moody Gardens:

The Aquarium Pyramid
The Discovery Pyramid
The Rainforest Pyramid
Happy Feet 4D Special FX Theatre
Wild Oceans 3D on IMAX
Amazeing Butterflies
Colonel Paddlewheel Boat
Ridefilm Theatre

We did a lot and it was an exhausting day. We headed home about 6pm and stopped for dinner at Russo's on the way home. This is Kaylyn's favorite restaurant. It was a fun trip!

To see all of our pictures, click here!

Birthday Celebrations

2010-05-26T09:41:00.006-05:00

Well, Kaylyn's birthday is off to a grand start. First, a birthday dinner at Chuy's in The Woodlands on Monday night with Nia and Papa. We had dinner and cupcakes. Then Kaylyn opened gifts. She got a personally engraved Disney snowglobe in a birthday theme. She also got a Disney Girl doll (Disney's version of an American Girl doll) along with a Belle outfit and a Tinkerbell outfit. Very cute!

On Tuesday Brian brought a purple butterfly cupcake cake to Kaylyn's school. We left one of our cameras with her teacher, Ms. Liz. They took pictures for us while her classmates sang Happy Birthday to her. I'm sure she loved it!

Then, Tuesday afternoon, Uncle Scott met Brian and the kids at Chuck E. Cheese. They had pizza and played games for 2 1/2 hours. Of course Kaylyn and Jack didn't really care about the pizza, they just wanted to play! Kaylyn got a really cool Ni-Hao Kailan Lego set from Uncle Scott and Aunt Kathleen.

Finally, when I got home from work, Brian had decorated the house and Kaylyn got to open gifts and have birthday cake. She got her long-awaited Ladybug Pillow Pet. She also got a soccer ball, Play-Doh Ice Cream Shop and Prince Naveen doll. To top off the day, we watched "Today's Birthdays" on the Sunnyside Up Show on Sprout and the card that I had made several weeks ago made it onto the show. Kaylyn was so excited that Chica got her birthday card and that her picture was on TV. What a lucky girl!!

To see pictures click on the various links below.

Pictures from Chuy's Birthday Dinner, click here.
Pictures from Colony Kids Party, click here.
Pictures from Chuck E. Cheese, click here.
Pictures from home, click here.

Birthday Coming Up...

2010-05-23T14:08:00.003-05:00

Not much to post right now, but Kaylyn's 5th birthday is almost here (on Tuesday). I'm sure I'll have something to post by then. Otherwise, highlights from this week...

1. Kaylyn had her pre-K graduation party on Friday at school which I missed because I had to work,
2. Kaylyn has claimed that she is "allergic" to beans,
3. Jack has learned to play freeze dance (very cute!),
4. Jack hit Kaylyn so hard in the face with a toy car that she got a nosebleed....Kaylyn is fine, and last but not least
5. Jack has decided to give up his afternoon nap every day this week!

Never a dull moment around here. At least Kaylyn's Ladybug Pillow Pal arrived in the mail. Of course she asked for the ladybug, which is the number one seller and on back order for several weeks. Fortunately it has arrived and is currently wrapped and hidden in the back of my closet. I'm sure I'll have pictures to post of her with her ladybug next week. 'Til then!

Another Year Flown By

2010-05-16T18:29:00.002-05:00

Brian and I celebrated our sixth wedding anniversary this past Saturday. Brian happened to take the day off because we were supposed to attend Kaylyn's Pre-K graduation party at Colony Kids. Unfortunately, the rainy weather cancelled the festivities. Instead, we invited the grandparents and Uncle Scott to meet us for lunch at PF Chang's at First Colony. Lunch was nice, the food was good and everyone got to visit. Afterwards, Mike and Chris took Jack back home to Lufkin for the rest of the weekend. Kaylyn went over to my parents' house to spend the night. Wow! A whole night without kids?? Brian surprised me by making reservations at America's in the Galleria area. We ate there one other time.....the night that he proposed. The food was excellent and I found out that I definitely prefer a classic red sangria vs. a white sangria (2 completely different drinks!). I had the pork carnitas, Brian had the churrasco steak. We split some bread pudding and tres leches for dessert. We could barely breathe when we left, we were so full!! Afterwards, we headed home and watched AVATAR in HD. It was a nice anniversary celebration. I am looking forward to many more in the future!

Moving on to bigger things....like kindergarten!

2010-05-11T20:40:00.002-05:00

Kaylyn is almost ready to graduate from pre-school at Colony Kids. She is registered to start Kindergarten in the fall at Palmer Elementary School. She will officially become a Palmer Bear!

She has learned so much this year. She is an expert with her colors, numbers and shapes. She can count to 100 and she has begun reading. She has participated in school spelling bees and can recite many nursery rhymes from memory. She also has been taking gymnastics and computer classes as extra-curricular activities. This Saturday will be her graduation party, then 2 more weeks of school before the summer break. Brian and I are so proud of how well she's done! Here she is in her cap and gown.

Rockin' Mother's Day Concert

2010-05-09T21:03:00.004-05:00

Happy Mother's Day to all the mommies, grandmommies, aunts, moms-in-law, godmoms and every female who influences someone else's life. I had a great day hanging out with my family at my parent's house. We had barbecue and filipino food for lunch. The kids spent the afternoon running around and playing. At one point Kaylyn had her toy guitar out and came over to give me and her grandpa an impromptu rock performance. I must say she had the act down well. NEVER a dull moment with my kids.

Strawberry Fields Forever...

2010-05-02T16:49:00.005-05:00

Today we went to Froberg Farms in Alvin, Texas. We met my mom's family there for a Sunday morning of fresh strawberry picking. The weather was nice and the kids all really enjoyed running through the fields and picking strawberries. It smelled like strawberry fruit roll-ups to me when I was standing in the middle of it all. After picking strawberries we shopped in their little outdoor market and bought some other fruits and vegetables grown on the farm. Too bad Brian missed it....we will have to go back on a weekday so that he can enjoy picking strawberries with the kids too. But first, I have to eat the HUGE container of fresh berries that are currently chilling in our refrigerator!

For a complete photo album of our adventure, click here.
To see pictures from my parents house after the strawberry picking, click here.

Let's Go Fly a Kite, Up to the Highest Height...

2010-05-02T15:52:00.004-05:00

Scott and Kathleen returned from China on Friday night. Saturday night they came over to the house to spend time with Mike, Chris and the kids. Brian and I were both working and missed out on the fun. Brian and I had bought a new swing set that we were putting together in the back yard. We were interrupted by the rain the other day, so the project was left more than half unfinished. Mike and Chris finished putting the set together for us. The kids spent the afternoon playing in the back yard. Later in the afternoon Scott and Kathleen arrived with presents for the kids from their trip. One of the presents was a new kite. Scott and Kaylyn had lots of fun flying the kites in the neighborhood. To see some pictures I posted a link to Scott's Flickr photo album here.

Scott and Kathleen's Special Day

2010-04-18T11:18:00.012-05:00

There were so many great photos from this weekend that I had to post several. The rehearsal dinner was at Denis Seafood. The wedding was at Brenner's Steakhouse. It was beautiful and there were many teary eyes during the event. The weather couldn't have been more beautiful. And it was obvious that everyone had a great time. Jack really enjoyed meeting Kathleen's parents and was caught several times spending time with Kathleen's mom. Kaylyn had a blast playing with Kendall. Kendall's dad, Jared, and his brother Jeff, kept the two girls entertained all evening. Brian's toast was so emotional that he even had the servers holding back tears. The food was excellent and we got to eat Crave cupcakes after dinner. What a great night! Congratulations to Scott and Kathleen as they embark on their new life together. Last night's wedding was a great way to kick it off!

If you want to see pictures from the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner, click here.
If you want to see more pictures from the wedding, click here.

Backyard Fun

2010-04-12T17:00:00.004-05:00

We let the kids have their first run of the season through the sprinklers today. Kaylyn wore her brand-new bathing suit (which already seems small). Jack wore the swimming trunks that wouldn't fit him last year. They had great fun running and screaming and getting soaked. Now we're about to grill burgers again for a nice dinner outside. I love this time of year.

Spring is here!!!

2010-04-06T21:54:00.004-05:00

Brian and I feel very good about our hard work on the front and back yards the past couple of weeks. The front looks alive again and the rose bushes are growing back in nicely. We got a nice, new, BRIGHT garden flag with a ladybug (Kaylyn's favorite) on it. We re-vamped the backyard and now with a new flower bed, bird feeder, and swing, we actually like spending time out there. We had a backyard dinner picnic on Monday. The kids loved it. I love spring!

Happy Easter 2010

2010-04-04T19:15:00.003-05:00

Well, this is the first day in weeks that I have truly felt at peace. Jack has recovered quickly from his heart cath procedure last Thursday and is back to his normal self. I took my kids to church for Easter Mass with me and my family today. One thing they were missing was their daddy, who had to work. They also miss their grandpa who is in the Philippines. Today reminded me of how blessed we are. I spent the day watching my children have fun with my family. We are so lucky to have so many loved ones who surround us in our everyday lives. And I was reminded in the last few days of how many loved ones we have that are far away. I hope everyone had a blessed Easter holiday. I think we have much to be thankful for. Happy Easter everyone!

Here are some pictures from the Easter festivities at my Tito Dading and Tita Mai's house.

Update on Jack

2010-03-27T13:37:00.004-05:00

In case some of you don't know, Jack has been seeing a Pediatric Cardiologist since we found a new heart murmur at his 2 year old well-child check with his pediatrician. He is seeing Dr. David Sapire with Texas Children's Cardiology. He has since had xrays, EKG's, an echocardiogram and an MRI/MRA to look at his heart. They found a defect called a coronary artery fistula that is causing his coronary arteries to dilate. He is scheduled for a cardiac catheterization procedure this Thursday at Texas Children's Hospital, where I work. To those of you who know what's been going on, thank you for keeping us in your prayers and thoughts. I am hoping that with this procedure on Thursday that they will be able to fix the defect and Jack can just concentrate on recovering. I will be posting updates as they come. Please continue to keep us in your prayers. With love - Charlyn

Pacquiao Fight Night

2010-03-17T05:36:00.003-05:00

Spent last Saturday night at my Tito Noning's house to watch the fight with my family. Kids had a great time running around in front of the tv while everyone was watching. It was good food, good fight, good company. Went home around midnight....thought the kids would fall asleep on the way. No such luck!! They were wide awake when I pulled in the garage. At least they slept in on Sunday!

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!!!

2010-03-05T13:42:00.002-06:00

This week Kaylyn's school was celebrating the birthday of Dr. Seuss. All week they've had special activities such as "silly socks" day, "silly hat" day, and "silly sunglasses" day. Today was the actual birthday party in Dr. Seuss' honor. Students were encouraged to dress like their favorite Dr. Seuss character. I made an emergency run to Hobby Lobby last Tuesday and bought red and white felt squares. I made Kaylyn a cat in the hat costume and I thought it turned out pretty well. Here's a picture of her before heading off to school this morning.

Playing in the Laundry

2010-03-04T20:07:00.004-06:00

On many of my nights off, we play a game of hide-and-seek, time-permitting. Brian, Kaylyn and I take turns hiding and finding each other throughout the whole house. Jack mostly helps seek. He is actually a very good seeker, must be due to his line of sight being 2 feet from the ground! One night, the kids found me hiding in a pile of laundry on the bed. They came and joined me in the pile of laundry, then didn't want to get out! Jack was so funny, he would lay back and just lounge in the clean laundry. My kids are so funny....

Good Ol' Backyardigans

2010-02-24T22:08:00.000-06:00

Here's another video clips from a couple of years ago. Kaylyn is about 2 1/2 years old. She could already sing most of the lyrics of her favorite songs, including the Backyardigans theme song. Check it out!

Potty Song

2010-02-22T21:50:00.003-06:00

Brian has been busy converting all of our VHS videos into digital video files. We've been having lots of fun seeing videos of Brian when he was younger. We are having even more fun watching video of Kaylyn when she as younger. Here is a clip where she is just a little bit older than Jack is now. Brian is trying to get her to sing the song that plays on her fancy potty. (We're in the midst of potty-training) All he gets is an echo....a pretty funny echo at that. Stay tuned for more video clips as we continue to discover all those funny clips we have forgotten about. I can't wait to get hold of the VHS tapes at my parents house. Then we can add "young" Charlyn to the collection.

Some Olympic Fun

2010-02-21T14:29:00.000-06:00

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

Made this video on the JibJab site. They have lots of fun stuff. Check it out sometime!

Be My Valentine...

2010-02-17T22:53:00.001-06:00

Kaylyn had so much fun doing Valentine's Day crafts. We made construction paper cards, a valentine mailbox for school, and egg carton ladybugs. Kaylyn made a special Valentine card for her daddy. Brian had to work on Valentine's Day so we had a nice family dinner the following night. Brian asked me where I wanted to go and I had a craving for breakfast for dinner. I suggested IHOP and Brian agreed and didn't even try to make an alternate suggestion! I guess there's a first for everything. I say it was a double date- Jack was my date and Kaylyn was Brian's date. The best part for me was when Brian and the kids sent me flowers by surprise to me at work. I was having an especially bad day and it made it so much better!

School Projects

2010-02-13T14:25:00.000-06:00

Kaylyn had a project for school for Black History Month. It was to be a "family activity" in which she chose a person to do a poster presentation on. Kaylyn did her poster on Dr. Daniel Hale Williams, a prominent black surgeon in the Chicago area in the 1890's. He is most well-known for founding the Provident Hospital and Nurse Training School in Chicago. He was also a pioneer in surgery. He once saved a man's life when he performed a brand new technique to repair a stab wound to the heart. As Kaylyn presented it to her class...."This Dr. Williams and he fixed people's broken hearts." I thought it was adorable! And it went well with the Valentine theme this week. Afterwards, her class had a Valentine pizza party with cupcakes and cookies for dessert. Kaylyn came home with an overflowing box of cards from her friends.

Williams Family Video

2010-02-11T20:46:00.007-06:00

I am so proud of all the work that Brian has done with his family tree. He has an amazing assortment of photos, stories, videos and other precious pieces of history collected and saved. He recently created a video clip to showcase pictures of his mother and her family. He chose great music and did a wonderful job of putting it all together. He could do this kind of work professionally I think. It made me teary-eyed when I watched it.

Houston Museum of Natural Science

2010-02-07T00:28:00.002-06:00

Earlier this week we took Jack on an outing to the Houston Museum of Natural Science. The weather has been so nasty and poo Jack has been stuck indoors the past several days. He had lots of fun. He especially liked the Weiss Energy exhibit and the chemistry exhibit....mostly because there were lots of buttons to push and wheels to turn! After we left the museum, I went to my 1 week follow-up appointment at the Mann Eye Center. My vision was 20/15 in both eyes and the doctor said my eyes were healing great. Exciting!! Anyhow, not much else going on right now. Kaylyn is getting geared up for Valentine's Day festivities at school. More to come later....

More Disney pics and LASIK news

2010-01-30T11:34:00.004-06:00

Okay, for those of you who have been waiting to see the Disney Photopass pictures, click here. Brian was so good to me that he uploaded them to Flickr while I was at work last week. Sorry for the delay. Enjoy!

On a side note, I finally had my LASIK procedure done yesterday. Thank goodness because 2 weeks in my coke bottle glasses was starting to feel like an eternity. Good news, at my post-op follow-up appointment this morning, my vision was 20/15!! I am still having a little bit of intermittent blurriness. It usually means I need eye drops. I'm so excited and happy about the results. I'm also pretty amazed....I mean I could read the street signs on the way home from the procedure. Never could do that before without my contacts/glasses. On my to-do list today....clean out all the contact solution bottles and lens cases out of my medicine cabinet! YAY!!

Ka-chow!!!

2010-01-27T21:37:00.002-06:00

Well, my Disney Photopass picture CD has finally arrived. There are so many great pictures on there! I will post a link to Flickr once I have an opportunity to upload them. But, for now, this is one of my many favorites. It just makes me smile. Can you see the attitude/sass in the stance?? LOL! More pics to come later.

Kicking Off the New Decade at WDW!

2010-01-18T16:28:00.010-06:00

I know I haven't posted in a couple of weeks, we've just been so busy! And now we are all getting over some sort of illness/ailment since we've been back. We had a great time at Disney World (who had any doubt?). It was cold, but DRY! We all dressed in layers and wore hats and gloves and we barely even noticed the 30-degree weather! The parks were busier than expected, but we still did everything we wanted to. I've never seen so many characters out! My personal favorite character sightings were Mr. Carl Fredrickson and Russell from Disney Pixar's UP and Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen from Disney's The Princess and the Frog. According to Kaylyn, her favorite ride was Soarin' at Epcot. We had a nice birthday dinner for Jack at Whispering Canyon Cafe. It included a special-order chocolate cake with chocolate mousse filling. Yummy! The kids had so much fun...can't wait to go again!

Click here to see pictures from our trip. Coming soon.....Disney PhotoPass photos!

Happy 2010 Everyone!!!

Bringing in 2010

2010-01-02T23:01:00.004-06:00

We brought in the new year pretty low-key. The weather was nasty outside and I had to be at work by 6:30am on New Year's Day so the Davis clan decided to bring in 2010 with a movie night. We spread a blanket on the floor and popped popcorn and popped in the kid's new Christmas present, G-Force, on DVD. It was a cute movie and Jack showed off some dance moves to the Black-Eyed Peas on the soundtrack. I think Brian and I were the only ones who got past the first 20 minutes of the story-line though. Kaylyn and Jack were too busy running around the living room and wrestling with each other. By 11pm we brought in 2010 with the kids by watching Dick Clark and celebrating it East Coast time. Then, the kids went to bed and Brian and stayed up and watched the remaining hour of terrible lip-synced performances until we could celebrate 2010 on Central Standard Time. Nothing exciting, but we had fun. Got a couple of cute pics of the kids too. Happy New Year!

New Photographer in the Family....

2009-12-26T20:07:00.005-06:00

Well, I think it's safe to say that Kaylyn LOVES her new V-Tech digital camera since she has managed to take 215 photos since she opened it yesterday! Above I uploaded one of the photos she took of her little brother Jack while he ate dinner. Pretty good for a beginner. We'll have to see what pictures she takes when we go to Disney World in a week!!

Christmas in Lufkin

2009-12-26T20:06:00.011-06:00

Brian took Kaylyn and Jack up to Lufkin earlier in the week to spend time with Nia and Papa. Nia and Papa had birthday and Christmas festivities planned. Unfortunately I had to work and missed out on all of the good food and fun, but Brian came back with great pictures and the kids had a wonderful time as usual. They celebrated Jack's birthday on Wednesday night with cake and presents. Thursday morning (Christmas Eve morning) they celebrated Christmas with a nice lunch and gift-opening before heading back to Houston. As a nice last-minute surprise, Scott and Kathleen were also able to make the drive up to Lufkin for the celebrations. Click here to see pictures.

Christmas in Houston

2009-12-26T20:06:00.010-06:00

I had to work Christmas Eve Day and it was a busier day than I expected. I finally got home at 8:15pm and we got ready to go to my Tita Joan and Tito Manny's house for Christmas Eve. We brought macaroni and cheese casserole and cheese potatoes. We also brought a Thomas the Tank Engine birthday cake to celebrate Jack turning 2 years old. We had a great time. We sang Happy Birthday and Jack blew out his candles (with Kaylyn's help). At midnight, we passed out all the gifts and had a mass gift opening. By then, the children were waning fast. We headed home shortly after 1am. The kids were asleep by the time we got home. Everyone slept in and we opened gifts from Santa the next morning as Brian and I drank coffee and ate sausage fondue casserole....YUMMY! Click here to see more pictures.

Dear Santa...

2009-12-21T22:12:00.004-06:00

Kaylyn is taking a computer class as part of her curriculum for school. She has already learned the names for the monitor, CPU, mouse, CD, and keyboard. She also had learned how to correctly hold a CD without leaving fingerprints and how to load it into the computer. She can also point and click to navigate. Her class is now learning how to type on a keyboard using two hands. Last week, she typed the above letter to Santa Claus with her teacher's assistance. Now for those who don't possess the eyesight of an eagle, here is what the letter says:

"Dear Santa,

I have been a very good girl this year. Some of the really good things I have done are help my mommy clean up, play nicely with my brother, and help my daddy work in the yard.

What I would most like for Christmas this year is a tinkerbell hot air balloon. And, if it's not too much trouble, I would also like bubble and clank hitting fireworks.

I also want to tell you Merry Christmas.

Thank you,
Kaylyn Davis"

Kaylyn Idol

2009-12-18T20:40:00.003-06:00

Check out the impromptu performance Kaylyn gave of "You've Got a Friend in Me" from Toy Story. She was listening to music on the new iMac....I only wish I had whipped out the camera sooner!

Kaylyn's Christmas Program

2009-12-16T13:38:00.001-06:00

Last night we attended Kaylyn's Christmas Program at her school, Colony Kids. Kaylyn was so excited to see Grandma, Grandpa, and Auntie Clarissa in the audience. Kaylyn is in the 4-year olds pre-school class. They sang 3 songs: Frosty the Snowman, Away in a Manger, and We Wish you a Merry Christmas. The program was great. It was interesting to see the 3-year olds perform Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and remember Kaylyn performing that song last year. She's come a long way! Unfortunately, my video didn't record for Away in a Manger, but I am uploading the videos of the other two songs to this post. Also, you can click here to see pictures from the event.

Festival of Lights in Dickinson

2009-12-16T13:30:00.004-06:00

Last Thursday Brian, the kids and I had dinner at Russo's New York Pizzeria before driving out to Dickinson, Texas to see the Festival of Lights. It was a cold night, so we brought the wagon and a blanket for the kids. We arrived about the same time the Christmas Parade was wrapping up so the streets were all blocked off and we had a difficult time getting in to park. Once we parked the van, we loaded up the kids in the wagon and walked through the park. The kids loved all of the lights. Best of all, the event was FREE!! Visit the web page here if you are interested in going! Click here to see more pictures of our visit.

December Happenings...

2009-12-07T11:44:00.007-06:00

Well, there has been so much going on since my last post, I feel behind.

First, we have had an unexpected snow day when temperatures dropped to the 20's and large snowflakes fell from the sky for hours. The kids had fun playing outside and taking pictures.

Last Saturday I took the kids with grandma to a Winterfest type party at Memorial Hermann Sugar Land where grandma works. There were lots of activities there. We rode the train twice, visited Santa, and played in the fake snow. We also ate sausage on a stick, hot dogs, churros, popcorn, and sugar cookies.

On Sunday night, Kaylyn and I put together the gingerbread house that Nia gave us. We had a great time putting it together and it turned out really nice. Thank you for the fun project Nia!!

Click here to see a random assortment of photos from all the goings-on.

Thanksgiving Activities

2009-12-02T14:48:00.003-06:00

Well, I worked on Thanksgiving Day. It was a typical Thanksgiving Day in the EC, nice and slow. We had a potluck luncheon and I brought a baked ham, cheese potatoes, and Oreo Cookie Pudding Dessert. All the food was eaten up quickly. After I got off work I had to drive to Brian's job and switch out the cars (car for minivan) and wish him a quick "Happy Thanksgiving" so that I could take the kids to a Thanksgiving dinner party we were invited to. We went to the Casipes house for a late dinner and the kids had fun as usual. Friday afternoon Brian, the kids and I drove to Lufkin to see Mike and Chris. We had spinach dip and hamburgers for dinner. Saturday, Scott and Kathleen arrived and Chris prepared a nice traditional Thanksgiving meal of turkey, dressing, green beans and pecan pie! Yummy! That afternoon Kathleen and I watched New Moon at the nearby movie theater while Chris and Kaylyn went on a shopping spree. Unfortunately, I was too distracted to remember to bring a camera to the Casipes house. But, we took lots of great pictures in Lufkin, including a few family photos using the time delay on my new camera. Click here to see more pictures.

Family Traditions

2009-11-26T00:14:00.007-06:00

Well, we've made it a tradition since Kaylyn was born to have portraits done before the holidays. We pick our favorite pose to put on our Christmas cards and order pictures to give to the family and hang on the walls of our home. I love seeing the progression of our family in the annual family portraits that decorate our home.

Today was portrait day for the Davis family again. We found out that today (the day before Thanksgiving) is also one of the busiest picture-taking days for Portrait Innovations. Jack was not the most cooperative model, but the photographers were talented enough to take my favorite family portrait yet. Afterwards, we hit First Colony Mall to see Santa Claus. Kaylyn has taken pictures with this same Santa for 4 years!!! If you want to see extra poses from our sitting click here. Have a very Happy Thanksgiving everyone. More updates and pictures to post I'm sure after the big Turkey Day.

This is How Jack Rolls....

2009-11-15T21:59:00.011-06:00

Last Thursday Brian and I took Jack for a morning at the Houston Zoo and Hermann Park. Kaylyn was at school, so it was a chance for Jack to enjoy some alone-time with us. People were amused by Jack's style of propping a leg up on the side of the wagon as we pulled him around the zoo. He had a great time seeing the animals. His favorites parts were the fish, the train ride, and the playground. It was a beautiful day. It was sunny with a high in the 70's. We had lunch at the zoo and then I met up with Chris at The Nutcracker Market for an afternoon of shopping. See zoo/park pics here.

Thomas, Fish and Bedtime Mania...

2009-11-11T21:20:00.007-06:00

We've found out that Jack is really into fish so Brian brought out the light-up aquarium that Kaylyn keeps in her room. Add some fish excitement to bedtime mania and a big sister who eggs it all on and you get the above video! Even Thomas the Tank Engine is competing with the fish now...(see below)

Cruising the Bahamas

2009-11-06T12:34:00.005-06:00

Brian and I just got back from our cruise on the Disney Wonder in the Bahamas last night. We had a wonderful time...it felt like a second honeymoon. Our favorite "magical moment" was when we hit Serenity Bay on Disney's personal island, Castaway Cay. Serenity Bay is the adult only beach that featured clear blue water, beautiful white sands, and servers to bring you drinks on the beach. The bay was large enough that when you went out to float in the water you felt like you were the only one there. Best of all, it was QUIET!!! The service on the entire cruise experience was wonderful. We especially enjoyed our dinner service with Vitchurun (Thailand) and Igor (Croatia). The shows were fantastic, especially "Toy Story: The Musical" and "Disney Dreams - An Enchanted Classic". Other activities we enjoyed were pre-dinner cocktails in Cadillac Lounge (piano bar), art of the theme cruise ship tour, and many, many character appearances. I would highly recommend this cruise, even if you don't have children. Check out our pictures here.

Happy Halloween

2009-10-31T22:51:00.004-05:00

Well, this post will be short and sweet since I have to finish packing for my 7am flight tomorrow morning. Halloween was fun. We went to Trunk and Treat at Colony Baptist Church, where Kaylyn goes to school. Nia and Papa met us there. Afterwards, we went to my cousin's house for a Halloween Party. Click here to see more Halloween pics.

Seeing Red

2009-10-29T21:50:00.003-05:00

Kaylyn's school celebrated a "Say No to Drugs" week and had activities all week that centered around a "red" theme.

Monday - They closed the door on drugs by decorating it with red objects
Tuesday - They wore their shirts backwards to turn their back on drugs
Wednesday - They released red balloons with a pledge to stay away from drugs
Thursday - They wore red shirts and sunglasses to block drugs out of their lives
Friday - They will wear red socks and have a red party (red punch, red desserts, red plates...you get the idea)

So tonight, after I got home from work, Kaylyn and I baked red velvet cupcakes with pink frosting and red sprinkles to bring to her party. Kaylyn poured the ingredients into the mixer, lined the cupcake pan with paper liners, and sprinkled the cupcakes with red sugar when they were done. Meanwhile, busy little brother wandered into the kitchen to see what all the excitement was about. Hope the cupcakes are good.

Davis Williams Family Tree Blog

2009-10-28T09:41:00.002-05:00

I know that I mentioned this briefly on a previous post, but if you haven't already visited you should check out Brian's new Davis Williams Family Tree blog. He's done a great job on it and it looks fantastic. He is featuring special theme days such as "Tombstone Tuesday" and "Wordless Wednesday". I cannot believe how much information he has gathered and the number of great pictures he has collected. Check it out.

A Pirate's Life for Jack

2009-10-28T09:36:00.002-05:00

Well, Brian and I were watching Jack run around the house the other day and we thought he looked suddenly taller to us. I decided to put his Woody costume on to make sure it still fit with Halloween just around the corner. The poor guy couldn't even be buttoned up over his cute toddler belly. We returned the costume to Target, but there were absolutely no Woody or Buzz Lightyear 2T costumes to be had in 3 stores. We opted for a pirate costume in which he will be equally as cute in. No pictures to post yet....coming soon.

Gap Casting Call

2009-10-22T19:25:00.002-05:00

I've entered the kids in the Gap Casting call. Maybe they will become supermodels and their mommy can retire! Click here to see their submissions and vote. You can vote on each entry once every 24 hours.

Fresh Look for a Fresh Start

2009-10-22T18:11:00.004-05:00

Well, I will attempt yet again to keep this blog current. I am proud of and impressed by Brian's new family tree blog and I am inspired to start up yet again. I hope to update regularly and post new news and pics as they come along. Come back and visit often!

9 days to go.....

2009-10-22T18:05:00.005-05:00

Well, 9 days and counting until Brian and I set off for our Disney Cruise. Hard to believe that it will be so soon. I haven't had time to get really excited since there is so much going on between now and then. We have Halloween coming up and the Davis family will be dressed as follows:

Brian -Mickey Mouse
Charlyn - Minnie Mouse
Kaylyn - Tinkerbell
Jack - Woody

Will definitely post those pics before we go.

Holiday Pictures

2009-01-11T20:14:00.004-06:00

Well,the holidays were great. The kids got everything they could ever want or need. Now Kaylyn and Jack are recovering from ear infections and colds. For lack of time or energy, I don't have much time to give details, but here is a link to some pictures. More later.....

Action Jackson is at it again.....

2008-12-15T00:03:00.003-06:00

Well, Jack has finally decided that it was time to move on from the army crawl. He has now improvised so that he can climb short heights. Today, I caught him kneeling 4 times as he tried to pull himself up. Yay!! This is good since he is getting a little hefty to be lugging along on my hip for any length of time. Hopefully we'll be moving on to cruising soon. Then, I'll be lamenting the days when he wasn't so mobile...(yet another example of the grass is always greener). Above is a video clip that Brian took the other day of Jack crawling up onto the wrapping paper box and then flipping himself off of it as he tries to get down. It doesn't seem to slow him down at all. Take note also of Kaylyn trying to steal the spotlight. This is an hourly occurrence at our house. It seems that it is eternally "her turn"!

Say cheese, or pizza, or smile, or whatever works......

2008-12-09T20:17:00.004-06:00

Well, we got Kaylyn by herself and Jack by himself and got great pictures. Then, Jack got grumpy and wouldn't take pictures with his sister. So, on to the family pics. Click here for more photos.

Santa Claus - Part Two

2008-12-09T18:33:00.004-06:00

Well, Jack was a good sport with Santa too. He gave Santa Claus a 45 second stare-down. Next thing you know, Jack laid his head down on Santa's tummy and just hung out while we waited for the photographer to finish up with her last customer. When it was showtime Jack smiled while I played a little peek-a-boo behind the curtain with him. I will post about today's family portrait session after dinner.

Santa Claus - Part One

2008-12-08T18:42:00.003-06:00

Kaylyn and I went to the mall today to see Santa Claus and do a little Christmas shopping. Kaylyn was the perfect model. She placed herself in the pose above (including her hands) without any coaching from me or anyone else. She told Santa what she wanted for Christmas and politely said thank you after she was done taking her picture. I was so proud! Brian and I are taking Jack to see Santa tomorrow while Kaylyn is in school, so check back for his picture later. We will also be trying out a new place for our annual Christmas pictures. We have an appointment at Portrait Innovations in Sugar Land tomorrow. I will post those pictures later as well.

Nothing to say...just cute pictures!

2008-12-07T23:37:00.004-06:00

Just goofing off one day and put Jack on the snail with his cowboy hat. Love the facial expressions and just wanted to share.

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree, How lovely are your branches?

2008-12-06T22:24:00.002-06:00

Well, the holidays are upon us and we're coming to the end of another year. This time Kaylyn is definitely excited about all that the holidays will bring. I got her a set of My Little Pony mini-ornaments to hang on the tree. She moves them around everyday. She loves to see Christmas lights and is anticipating visiting Santa Claus next week. We also learned that she will be in her school's Christmas Pageant next week. Jack is just going with the flow. He doesn't seem very interested in the Christmas tree, but maybe that's because Brian put up a HUGE gate around it! It kind of takes away from the effect of it all. Well, here's wishing everyone a happy and safe holiday. We will be taking new family portraits this week. I will post those as soon as I can. For now, click here to see the rest of the tree decorating pics.

Catching up on birthdays, Mickey Mouse, and turkey....

2008-11-22T12:14:00.008-06:00

Well, I've fallen behind on my blogging, so I will attempt to catch everyone up.

I recently turned 35 years old on November 9th. I think I'm finally starting to feel it. I guess 2 kids will do that to you. I celebrated on my actual birthday by going out to eat with my parents, sister and kids since Brian had to work. We went to BJ's Restaurant and Brewpub. The food was yummy as usual. Kaylyn ate more than anyone else at the table. She also enjoyed her own personal ice cream sundae for dessert. On Monday (Nov.10) Brian took me and the kids to Pappasito's Cantina(my favorite place to eat) and we had fajitas for dinner.

On Wednesday (Nov. 12), we went to see Disney on Ice - Disneyland Adventures. Kaylyn loved it, especially whenever Mickey & Minnie were on the ice. Kaylyn came home with a new Cinderella toy, Disney on Ice Mickey ears, and an Incredibles light-up wrist band. After that adventure, I left the next day to drive to South Padre for a forensics conference on child abuse. I was a little disappointed in the conference, there wasn't a lot of information presented that I didn't already know. On top of that, I picked up a monster cold while I was there. I'm still fighting it off now.

Yesterday was a nice day. Kaylyn's school had a Thanksgiving luncheon where family members were invited to join their children for a turkey lunch. Nia made a special surprise appearance and we all got to eat an early Thanksgiving meal. The food was delicious and Kaylyn seemed to have a good time. She had such a good time that she wasn't ready to go home with us after lunch. She insisted on staying for nap time. She took me back to her classroom and said "I have to take a nap now mommy, I'll see you later." (huh???) Well, Brian and I decided to take Jack to Garden Ridge and do some Christmas shopping while Kaylyn took her nap. In fact, she was still asleep when I arrived to pick her up at 2 pm. She sure does love her school!

Halloween Adventures

2008-11-01T09:48:00.004-05:00

Halloween was a busy, fun-packed day for Kaylyn. It started off with a costume party at school. She was one of three mermaids in her class, although she was the only one with a crown. Her teacher said that she had a blast. We picked her up at 2pm and went home to relax for a bit. Kaylyn and Jack spent the afternoon playing at the house. We headed over to my parents house about 6:30pm. My dad had fixed steak and potatoes for dinner...yummy! After dinner, we all went trick-or-treating. Kaylyn was sweet as could be. She would always take one extra piece of candy and tell everyone "This is for Jack" and then place the candy in his bucket. She also told everyone "thank you and happy Halloween!" (with a little coaching). Check out our pictures here.

Fun in Lufkin

2008-11-01T09:47:00.002-05:00

Well, the family had fun in Lufkin while I was stuck in Houston working. Kaylyn and Jack got to visit Nia, Papa, and Uncle Scott. They stayed very busy playing with their new toys and swinging on the back porch. They even squeezed in a trip to the zoo! I'm so glad they all had fun. Check out more pictures from their visit here.

A Taste of Success

2008-10-27T08:32:00.004-05:00

Well, I did it! I managed to scrapbook my first set of pages in 3 years. I put together 7 pages total of our recent trip to the zoo. I am so excited. I hope that I can manage to continue squeezing in pages here and there. Next on my list is pumpkins, fall, and Halloween. I've decided that I am not even going to attempt to do past events yet. I will just concentrate on current events and hopefully that will keep me from feeling overwhelmed. Here is a sample of some pages that I did. Hope you like them!

Jumping Jack Takes a Nap

2008-10-24T22:50:00.002-05:00

Lately Jack has really taken to jumping in his jumperoo bouncer. He can bounce for an hour if you let him and he would be quite content. In fact, he was so content the other day that he bounced himself to sleep...twice!

Meanwhile, Brian and I have re-arranged the house furniture yet again to try and be more efficient. We have moved our formal dining table into the breakfast area and covered it with a casual tablecloth (for protection). We then downsized the breakfast table and moved into the formal dining room (that we never used). We also moved the computer desk and drafting table into the front room. So far, we love it. It is now a computer/craft room. I am really hoping to start sneaking time to scrapbook a page or two here and there as soon as I can get my area set up. Hopefully this will happen in the near future. Then I can scan my favorite pages and post them here in this blog! Cross your fingers and hope it works...

Painting Pumpkins

2008-10-18T19:39:00.005-05:00

Our craft project for this weekend was to paint our Halloween pumpkins. Kaylyn is still too young for carving so we're saving that for next Halloween. Instead, we picked up a bag of mini-pumpkins at Target today. When Jack took his afternoon snooze, we headed to the garage to paint our gourds. Kaylyn had a great time and took a few Backyardigans big-wheeling breaks when she needed inspiration. We enjoyed the beautiful fall day. We also spent some time talking to our neighbors. We found out that our neighbors to our left just had their baby yesterday! We also found out that one of the assistant teachers from Kaylyn's school lives down the street!! Kaylyn gave her a big hug when she saw her. She's such a sweet girl. Well, check out our pictures here.

There he goes....

2008-10-14T10:16:00.006-05:00

Well, Jack is now an expert "scoocher". He doesn't seem like he wants to crawl on his hands and knees like most babies. He prefers to use the elbow/tummy/toes method. He seems happy as long as he can get around and he's very fast. The other night I was giving Kaylyn and bath. I went to check on Jack in the living room and he had managed to scooch himself all the way under the piano bench at the front door!

Kaylyn acts more and more grown up by the day. She says the funniest things. My favorite phrases are: 1. "No Mommy/Daddy, you don't understand!" 2. "Wow Mommy/Daddy! It's beautiful (or wonderful)!!" 3. "Good morning, handsome!" (to Jack when he wakes up) Jack seems to enjoy her company. He especially thinks its funny when she's having a mini-meltdown and crying. He smiles and laughs at her...which makes her more mad.

First Day of School

2008-10-05T09:05:00.003-05:00

Well, Kaylyn started preschool the other day. She will be going part-time, 2 days a week. However, she loved it so much that Brian and I are thinking of putting her in for one more day a week. She didn't cry when we left her there, but had a huge meltdown when it was time to go home. I think her exact screams were "NO, I DON'T WANT TO GO HOME! I WANT TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL!!" This meltdown lasted all the way down the hallway and into the car and for about another 45 minutes after we got home. Brian and I are sure that the school staff thinks we beat/torture her at home.

Ms. Tamika is her teacher. She said Kaylyn did really well. She said it seemed like Kaylyn had been in school before because she particpated well and knew all her colors, shapes, numbers and letters. I guess we prepared her well. She's a smart cookie. She did have trouble transitioning into naptime. (Imagine that!) Well, I think she's going to love being in school. Now we can have some more quality time with Jack while Kaylyn's away. When she's home, it's always "her turn".

See more recent pics of the kids here.

My Little Cowboy

2008-10-05T08:56:00.004-05:00

Well, Jack is 9 months old now. Where does the time go?? Kaylyn is enjoying playing with him. Yesterday she made him into a cowboy and he didn't seem to mind. Most of the time they enjoy the other's company. Guess I should enjoy it while I can because it won't last forever. I know what it's like to have a sibling....Clarissa can relate!

Riding out the Storm

2008-09-18T13:09:00.006-05:00

Here's a picture of part of the rideout team for the Emergency Center before Ike. The winds were starting to pick up already on Friday afternoon and we were playing around outside enjoying the fresh air before the hospital went on lockdown (they called it "tuck-in") procedures. I was assigned as 1 of 2 charge nurses on the unit for the dayshift for the duration of the rideout team's assignment. We were given the TCH version of "MRE's". They tasted like cardboard. We also slept in various clinic offices while night shift was working. We had one shower on our floor to share between about 50 people. We were told to take "military showers" which meant 2 minutes, choose what you wash, we don't want to know. My good friend Kenya and I were roomies. We shared a sound booth room that they use for hearing tests as our sleeping quarters (see below). The day of the storm and the day after were definitely more stressful because everyone was now thinking of their families and homes and wondering how bad it really was. We all came through it safe and sound. My prayers to everyone who has been affected by this storm. More pictures here.

Take a Hike, Ike

2008-09-13T21:28:00.002-05:00

Well, for all my friends and family who can get to a computer and read this, here's an update. I am still at work waiting for the relief team to be called in. I have been sleeping on air mattresses and army cots. Kenya is my roomie and we've been sleeping in an sound booth that they use for hearing tests. We are allowed to take showers in "military time" (2 minutes). We were told to choose what we wash, they won't dictate. We can't drink the water or use the ice. My husband drove home from College Station today. We have some roof leakage and fence problems, but otherwise we weathered much better than others. He's still waiting for the electricity to come on. My parents and sister are also safe with roof damage to their house. They also have no electricity. The kids are in Lufkin with Brian's parents. They are on generator power and are safe. I can't get in contact with any of my other family members, so if you read this please post comments to let me know how you are. I pray that everyone is safe. Pictures will come later when I can get back into my computer at home. Everyone, take care!

Look at all that hair!!!

2008-09-07T15:56:00.002-05:00

Brian caught a shot of Kaylyn with a bouffant of curls the other day. Her hair is out of control!!! She has the perfect spiral curls that I always wanted as a young girl. Ironically enough, she will probably grow up to hate her hair and wish it were straight! The grass is always greener....

Well, click here and check out other random pictures of the family hanging out at home and running around town.

Dance Like No One's Watching...

2008-09-07T15:23:00.005-05:00

Well, it's been a hectic couple of weeks, but finally I am able to get on the computer and post something! No news to report, so I am just going to post cute pictures and videos of the kids. They make me laugh and smile. Hope they do the same for you! This video is of Kaylyn. I caught her doing her Care Bears Wish Song routine in front of the piano so that she could see herself in her reflection. She didn't know I was taping her at first.

This is a video of Jack playing on the floor. Hear him growl at his toy as he attacks it with his teeth. I call it his hungry bear imitation.

Birthday Boy

2008-08-22T19:04:00.003-05:00

Well, Brian just celebrated his 33rd birthday last Tuesday. So, at least for the next 2 1/2 months, I will only be 1 year older than him... We celebrated with cake and presents with the kids and then dinner out for just the two of us. Jack bought him a Starbucks travel mug and Kaylyn bought him a Starbucks gift card. Mellie (the cat) claims to have bought him his Playstation 3, but we all know that is not the case. Brian bought that himself a couple of months ago as an early present (with my approval of course;o]) I think for my present, I will let him beat me in Singstar...but just this once.

For dinner we went to Fogo de Chao. The restuarant had the best salad bar I've ever seen. It included fresh asparagus, sundried tomatoes, smoked salmon, 4 kinds of cheeses, and on and on... Then, flip your card to green and let the meatfest begin. We ate until we were stuffed and then split a brownie sundae with coffee before we rolled ourselves out the door. Everything was delicious, but be prepared to spend a pretty penny if you go.

Conversations with Jack

2008-08-17T05:58:00.005-05:00

Well, it looks like Jack has the gift for gab like his mother and his sister. Some days he is quiet as a mouse, but other days he is a little chatterbox. Listen to what he has to say in this short video clip above.

Fightin' Texas Aggie Class of '27 &'29

2008-08-13T16:36:00.004-05:00

Brian and I took the kids in to take pictures that were well overdue. I came up with the idea of doing an Aggie theme since Jack could now fit into his football outfit and Kaylyn still fit into her cheerleader outift. We provided all the props. Jack was pleasant and cooperative, although at times a bit drooly. Kaylyn, however, was not a very cooperative model at all. I thank Ms. Marva at JCPenney's Portrait Studio for hiding this very well. We were very pleased with the results. (BTW, we're not pressuring our children at all as to where they should go to college...);o)Click on this link to see the slideshow.

Together Again! (SYTYCD)

2008-08-05T06:17:00.003-05:00

Yay!! Katee and Joshua are back together again! And a good thing for the last show before the finale. They were wonderful in both performances. The contemporary piece by Tice Diorio was my favorite. I am so happy that they are in the finale. I really would love Joshua to win it all, he is so the underdog. I do believe that all the performances last week were great. Looking forward to the finale...

Tropical Storm Edouard Mayhem

2008-08-04T17:34:00.002-05:00

I just got back from the grocery store. I was doing my usual weekly shopping with a few added items to prepare for T.S. Eduoard as he bears down on the Texas coast. Kroger was a complete MADHOUSE! There was barely any room in the store to maneuver a cart, and you better get in line if you are planning on buying bottled water or batteries. Oh, and don't forget the line that wraps around the parking lot for gasoline. Thankfully, I filled up the tank yesterday. Every check-out line was open (I've never seen that....) and they all had lines 5-6 carts deep. The parking lot looked even worse when I left. To top off all that mayhem, I received a call from work while I was shopping. We are on CARLA alert (that means emergency preparedness plan is in effect) and I am required to be there at 5 am tomorrow morning with extra clothes, a blanket and a pillow in hand. I plan to be there with a big smile on my face and a LARGE cup of coffee. I wonder if Starbucks will remain open across the street tomorrow..... Stay tuned for an update on my adventures at TCH tomorrow.

Viva Las Vegas...

2008-07-31T22:27:00.005-05:00

Well, as some of you know, Clarissa and I went to Las Vegas last week for a short vacation. We stayed at the Excalibur in one of their newly renovated rooms. We had a great time. Great people-watching opportunities!

We caught two shows while we there. We went to Mystere by Cirque du Soleil at Treasure Island. LOVED IT! I've always been a Cirque du Soleil fan, so I was very excited. We sat in the second row and it was amazing because we could see everything so close up. We also took a cab to Rio to see Penn & Teller. Also a good show and we got to meet them afterwards. Check out my slideshow to catch a picture of me with Penn.

The rest of the trip was spent running around from casino to casino, none of them paying out anything. We also got to experience the chaos of a bunch of drunk people being told by Metro police that they had to leave Bellagio and head either further north or south of the strip. Lots of unhappy, inebriated folks dropping f-bombs at policemen was somewhat interesting to watch. After Mystere, the cops closed down the streets surrounding the Bellagio. We found out later that there was a suspicious bag left on the sidewalk outside the hotel and that a bomb squad was brought in to check it out. Needless to say, it was nothing since you probably didn't hear about it in the news. I'm glad we got to go, Clarissa never gets to vacation anywhere and I thought it was fun to hang out with my sis, just the two of us having fun.

SYTYCD

2008-07-31T22:15:00.006-05:00

I know I haven't mentioned my show in 2 weeks, but rest assured that I am still watching. Not much to say, I do like that my two favorites are still there (Kaytee and Joshua). However, I have also grown fond of Twitch and Chelsie. I can't believe that Will was voted off. He was so talented! I haven't watched this week's episode so nobody spoil it for me please!

The Aquarium Blues

2008-07-31T20:58:00.006-05:00

Well, I'm very behind on my blogging, so I will start off with our trip to The Aquarium Downtown a week and a half ago. If you haven't been, DON'T GO!! I was very disappointed with our visit. The Aquarium complex is nice to look at and is a wonderful idea, but not worth the money you spend. We had lunch at the restaurant first. It took 3 hostesses and a ten minute conversation to figure where to seat us in a dining room of 20+ empty tables. We had to ask for a highchair 3 times. The food was not bad, but was not good either and way too expensive for what it was. Kaylyn's hamburger tasted like the kind I used to get at my elementary school cafeteria. The Aquarium itself was cool, nicely decorated and good exhibits, but very short. We went on a train ride into the shark tunnel and then took a couple of rides on the carousel and one and two hours and $100 later we were done. We all left disappointed and with a mild case of heat stroke. At least we got some cute pictures.

Attention, attention...we now have video!

2008-07-20T22:40:00.004-05:00

I am so excited because I have been waiting for my Flip Video Mino to arrive. I saw it in my Parents magazine and thought what a convenient way to catch all the cute things my children do and post it in my blog! I have to say that I am very pleased with my purchase. It small, easy to carry, and very user-friendly. Here is one of our very first videos. More to come later....

When you need a little de-motivation....

2008-07-20T11:05:00.005-05:00

Most of you are familiar with the motivational posters (see above) that you see at the print shop at the mall, or maybe in your very own office. Well, my co-workers and I discovered a website with posters that represent the real world. Check out these Demotivator posters. (One example below)

Swimming classes

2008-07-15T12:01:00.003-05:00

Kaylyn had her first swimming lesson today at the Sea Star Swimschool and Gymnastics Center. She's the only one in her class on Tuesdays so she was by herself with her swim instructor Beau. She did fairly well from what I could tell. We sat in the observation area. I could tell that she wasn't always listening to what her instructor told her, but she did things that I could never get her to do in the water before. She was kicking her legs and floating on her tummy and back with assistance. She has absolutely no fear of the water! She ended the 30 minute lesson with a huge tantrum because she had to leave the pool. Brian and I were quite embarrassed. Oh well, it was her first time. It should get better, right?