Cupcakes!

I realized we never did candles for Kenzie or Emma. So I picked up some pokemon cupcakes for the girls.
Kenzie enjoyed the cake much more this year!

(Emma was embarrassed!)

Sharley

A few weeks ago, a miniature schnauzer showed up at my sister's house in West Texas.  She looked like she'd been out on her own for a while.  Since my sister already has enough animals (horses, heifers, ducks, dogs) her husband didn't want to take in another dog.  But this sweet little dog stuck around the house.  After a couple days, my sister cleaned up the dog, bath, shave, etc.  The dog stuck around, followed them while they did chores.
Since my kids LOVE dogs, LOVE THEM, I started conspiring with my sister on how we could get the dog to our house.  My sister put a crate out and the dog liked it...idea getting better all the time.  I slowly worked on Bryan (and the kids.)  Landon wanted to name her Sharley, and just as I was texting that to my sister, her daughter had picked the name Charlotte.  So, Sharley stuck.  Bryan thought I was nuts (more than usual.)  But the kids were so excited.

We met up with my sister in San Antonio. The kids instantly fell in love with Sharley.  She was great.  At first, she wasn't too sure about a leash, but over the two days that weekend, she quickly learned.  This poor dog has been abused.  She was very nervous to be in a hotel room full of people, but it wasn't long before she got over that fear.  (She has a rib that's been broken...it kills me that people were so cruel.)  She loves the kids.  We walked the riverwalk and she sat in the stroller with Kenzie the whole time.  She went to the outlets with us too....no barking, no snapping, nada.  The kids even ate McDonalds while she was in they're lap, and she didn't try to get their food, or even act like she noticed they were eating. Seriously - could you ask for a better dog?

And have I mentioned she hasn't barked?  My sister said she's heard her bark at their house, but she hasn't made a peep with us.  On the walks, she notices other dogs, but couldn't care less about them.

(Bwahahaha - I finally get to do a perfect post.  Inside joke.)

So, now she's home with us.  We've walked in the mornings, after I get home from work and then again at night.  Then she stays with us in the house.  She wants to be near people.  As long as we're sitting down in the living room, she'll lay down in her bed.  But if everyone leaves the room, she wants to know / go where we are.

She's sleeping in her crate at night, which is in the kitchen.  Since the kids are home now, she's out all day.  Oh - Bryan's said she's jumped up on the couch a few times, but he puts her back down and she's fine. (See - not perfect.)

After you see the pictures, you'll realize why I think it turned out so great.  This poor lost dog finally found some love.

In Hotel - ready for bed.

"I just love her so much"

The kids

Bryan (gave in! ha!)

Landon and Sharley

Resting after our walk

All kids resting after the walk

Passed out!

After I got out of the shower, I saw that Bryan had moved Sharley's bed over by his chair.

Kenzie is 2!

I can not believe how fast the last two years have gone by.  My baby is 2!  How can she already be 2?!  But that means Landon is in first grade, and I'm in denial about that too.

I don't even know where to start...but here's some random things she's doing/liking right now.

She loves food, and will try almost anything to eat.  She loves tomatoes, grapes, strawberries, bananas, hamburgers and "chalk-it" (chocolate.)
She loves lemonade, prefers it over milk any day.
She says "I hold you, mama" - love it.
She's wearing 3T clothes right now and still has some rolls on her legs.  She's not super chubby, but she's definitely solid.
She has started using the potty, but not on any kind of schedule.  She hates to be wet, and is ready to change her diaper as soon as she potties in it.
She LOVES to sleep, most of the time.  Every night, we rock in her bedroom and sing a few songs, then she asks to get in her bed.  Her room is freezing, so she sleeps in flannel pajamas (yes in the middle of summer.)
She loves her "bankie" - she has about 4 blankets that she loves, and she has to have one all the time.
She still has her "me-me" - her pacifier.
She likes her dolls and loves to push them in the stroller or shopping cart.
She loves makeup and lotion.  She's always in my bathroom getting in to stuff.
She talks NON-STOP. Seriously, non-stop.  All the time, repeats everything she hears.
She likes to talk on the phone, to call "Gammy" (Grammy) or "Ganma" (Grandma) or GJ or Kallie or "Denny" (Danny)
Bryan found a learning tower at Goodwill, and Kenzie loves it.  She probably spends 1/2 her time up there.
She likes Elmo and Mickey Mouse
She likes to look for the horses on the way home.

For her birthday, we met for lunch at McAlisters, then after work, we went to Logan's before Landon's basketball game.  Going to try to do cake tonight for her.

Lunch at McAlister's

Grabbing mommy's hair

Logan's, eating peanuts

Dancing at Landon's bball game

Thinking it's hilarious to untie mom's shoes.

Kemah Boardwalk

Landon's last day of kindergarten was only a half day, Bryan and I both planned on taking off and heading down to Schlitterbahn with the kids.  Unfortunately, by the time we got around to leaving, it was already later than normal, and the water-park closed early, so we decided to head to the zoo.  Leaving the neighborhood, I checked the zoo hours, and they were closing early at 4, so we ended up at Kemah.  The mock up shuttle had just passed under the bridge, we got to see it heading into Clear Lake.  That also meant that most people were leaving Kemah.  Lucky for us.

Shuttle in Clear Lake, headed to Space Center Houston.

 
The kids played on the playground there, then Landon played in the fountain, Kenzie got close, but never got wet.  We fed the stingrays and managed to get wet in there.  Kenzie wanted to dip her hands in the water, and then lick her hands - how disgusting is that!!  She wasn't too sure about the giant (fake) elephant in the aquarium, or the gorilla.  Emma and I stood back so we wouldn't get splashed by the crazy stingrays.

Landon and Bryan feeding Stingrays


Kenzie trying to feed



Landon pointing out the frogs to Kenzie


We walked around the boardwalk - Kenzie threw a fit, can't even remember what it was about, but I just let her lay on the boardwalk and cry til she was finished.  Landon yells, "Mom, did you hit her?!"  Luckily, no one was around to call CPS to question us.  She got over her tantrum and we moved on.  Landon was so mad I was taking a picture of her crying.

Kenzie throwing her fit, complete with drool on the boardwalk.

And fit over - headed to games with her beloved blanket.

We ate Saltgrass early (or as Landon calls it "Sweetgrass") and had the back corner to ourselves.  We put the kids order in early, and before we even had our salads, Landon was ready to go.

We finished up with the rides.  Kenzie didn't want to get off of any of them, Emma rode the train with Kenzie and Landon and when it got back, Kenzie laid in the seat and wrapped her arms around the bench.  She didn't cry, but she had the saddest face - it was heart breaking.

By the time we finished, we were all exhausted.  We stopped for frozen yogurt before heading home.  (We love frozen yogurt!)  Then home, baths, and bed, after our MED walk.

Eating Butter (licking it off the bread) at Saltgrass

Emma riding the planes with Kenzie and Landon

Emma, Landon and Kenzie in the hot air balloons.

Emma, Landon and Kenzie going for the second ride on the train.

Wildlife Park

On Sunday, we still played the tourist.  We had a wonderful brunch at La Brisa - pancakes, waffles, migas, chorizo, fruit, etc.  Delicious.  I think they have the best waffles and pancakes I've ever eaten.  I love it when family comes to town because that usually means we make a trip to La Brisa for breakfast.

After breakfast, we headed over to Dickinson Wildlife park.  The price has gone up a lot since we first moved here - it's now $18 for an adult to get in!  But worth the price to see the kids enjoy it.
As soon as we drove over the cattle guard, an ostrich came over and pecked our windows.  Kenzie started crying!  But she soon got over the fear and was excited to see the animals.  Landon and Kallie were going crazy in the back of the van.

Good timing, because we only waited about five minutes before our tram pulled up and we all boarded.  We fed most animals, but the bison and the long horns - we missed them.  Which was okay with me, cause they're usually snotty.  We almost missed the camels, but they decided at the last minute, to come over.  They weren't hungry, but managed to sling slobber all over my younger sister, Jana and a few other passengers.

Kenzie enjoyed throwing food pellets, although i don't think many got out of the tram.  Landon pegged Jill a couple times, which he thought was hilarious.

After the park, we went over to Frobergs and picked up various food items.  The greatest hit was okra chips.  Basically dried okra - so delicious!  I wish we would have gotten a couple (or 10) bags.  The kids all got different candy, and of course we had to get fried pies.  Yum!  Alex (my nephew) got the cutest miniature jaw breakers, unfortunately, they tasted like black licorice.

Then we headed back to the house, put the sprinkler so that it would hit the trampoline, and then eventually filled up the kiddie pool.  The kids played forever outside, while we sat and laughed in the shade.  Kenzie got to control the water hose, and was having a grand time making the kids scream by squirting them.  They thought it wsa funniest when she shot herself in the face, which happened quite often.

Then on to dinner at Chuys and another round of yogurt at Yogurt Bear.  Instead of walking, we ended up in the upstairs living room, telling stories and laughing.  We laughed so hard, most times there wasn't any sound coming out.  And I'm sure there were more than a few snorts.

The kids feeding Emu's.

Alex waiting with a deer.

Bryan, Landon and Kenzie feeding deer.

Kallie, Jana, Burl and Abby ready for the tram ride.

Bryan

Jill and Kenzie "I look fru window"

Jana feeding an ostrich (Burl ready to karate it's neck if it gets too close.)

Landon torturing Emma

The camel, right before it got Jana with a long string of slobber.

Abby waiting for her turn to ride the pony.

Kids at frobergs

Kenzie's in charge!

Everyone trying to hide from Kenzie's water (and I'm pretty sure she's saying "No Bubba")

Beach

My sisters (and family) came in for the long weekend.  My younger sister's husband got to see the ocean (gulf) for the first time in his life. He's a rancher and doesn't get to go on many vacations, not sure how thrilled he was with the seaweed beach at Galveston, but the kids loved it.  We got there plenty early, after half of us spent some time at the chiropractor.  We all sunscreened up and played in the water and sand for a couple hours.  My nephew and little sister got taken under by the rip tide, but survived.  That nephew also got slapped in the face by a fish!  Bryan said he stepped on a fish.  And we got to see miniature shrimp all over the beach.

The place we usually park (8 mile road) was covered in seaweed.  It was high tide and there was no beach, so we ended up at Stewart beach.  By the time we got ready to leave, the place was packed!  We headed down to the strand to enjoy some ice cream at the candy store.  And, of course, had to make a trip into Col. Bubba's  military store.  That place creeps me out, but we all found survivor bracelets!  Look here: Survival Straps.

We headed home, cleaned up and went for pizza at Russo's.  Then to LC park where we enjoyed a local band playing some music.  The kids loved feeding the turtles and playing on the playground.  

Landon got tired

Kenzie with her crazy hair.

Enjoying candy

Not sure who took the camera

Waiting for the "dolts" to finish shopping

more ice cream pics

Abby with her giant slice!

LC playground

Bryan 'catching turtles'

Feeding the turtles goldfish

Jill and Burl spotted this tiny baby turtle resting on the lily pad.

Doesn't she look tiny standing next to Bryan.