First Bluebonnets of the Season

I can't believe it's February 26th and the bluebonnets are already popping out. We took a little walk after church today and saw all the beautiful wild flowers, and even spotted a few bluebonnets. That is what I love about southern Texas--the wildflowers. Especially the bluebonnets. We will miss them in Tucson!!!

Florida 2 Grandma and Grandpa Starkey's

After saying a sad good-bye to our beautiful beach condo, we were soooo excited to have one more fun adventure--Great-Grandma and Grandpa Starkey's house! The boys thought seeing them and sleeping at their house was the most exciting thing!

The boys got to pick avocados that had fallen from the tree, and get oranges right off the branches. They were so delicious!!!

And to make it even more exciting, they boys had 2 grandmas and 2 grandpas! Grandma and Grandpa Taylor were there visiting so we got to have a wonderful afternoon with everyone.

Of course we needed a trip to walk around Lake Menzie

Unfortunately we didn't see an alligator, but Kimball decided to be one.

And to add to all the fun, we stopped at Davidson's to watch them make the most delicious candy ever, and of course to eat as many free samaples as possible :) We did purchase some to make up for what we ate (at least a little bit).

And the best part--and main purpose of the visit, was to celebrate the 90th birthday of one of the kindest, sweetest, most giving, Christ-like people I know--my Grandma Starkey!

The party crew

So, this birthday girl cannot help herself. She still had to make desert delicious (mississippi mud), a blueberry pie, and fresh fruit salad for all of us. She just can't resist spoiling everyone who comes to her home. This next picture is one of those little touches that makes my grandma so amazing. She sectionizes all the oranges before feeding them to people. She peels off everything to get to that sweet, pure orange. I just love that lady!

We all made a book for great-grandma: 90 things we love about you.

The boys got a lesson about wood working in Grandpa's garage, and a counting/money lesson from grandma.

Joey found this giant snail at the Lake and was so sad to have to leave it in Florida.

We ended our trip to Dundee with some yummy Denny's before heading to the airport, Thanks Grandma and Grandpa! We LOVED getting to visit you!

October and Halloween

One day when Peter and I really needed a babysitter because our 2 trusted sitters were unavailable, we opted to get a 12 year old girl from church that lives down the road. She is great, but Joey decided he was going to be difficult. He ran out of the house screaming when she tried to get him ready for bed and kept on running until she caught him down the road. Then he was just being naughty and rude until we got home. Obviously, that is totally unacceptable. The next day Joey wrote an apology letter to the babysitter and had to bring it to her house. Then, after a long talk about how difficult it is for a babysitter (or teachers, or mom and dad) to be responsible for taking care of another person, I told Joey he was going to get a chance to see how difficult it is to take care of someone else. So, I couldn't let him have Kimball ;) but he was in charge of everything for the dog for a week. He did food, water, picked up stinky poop, even had to give her a bath. He did a great job, and I don't think he'll choose to act that way with a babysitter again.

I made the boys go out in the garage one day and practice punching and kicking something other than their brother.

We went to a little pumpkin patch and the boys had fun playing with Caleb and Ella, riding the train, jumping in the bounce houses and petting all the animals.

Kimball LOVED his Halloween gloves from grandma Gurr. It was so hot outside, but he wore them all day.

This is classic Kimball and Joey (just an example of how they fight and bug each other all the time). I made these vampire lollipops with the boys and Joey was so excited and wanted a picture. Kimball walks by right as the camera goes off and snatches it out of Joey hand and knocks the eyeball off. Joey freaks out. You can still see a teary eyes in the next picture.

We love Papa Murphy's pumpkin pizza!

Ward Trunk or Treat. Joey really wanted to be a vampire because his friend was one last year, and Kimball was so happy to use Joey's old Batman costume

We made "witch's brew" for everyone. The rootbeer turned out really yummy this year.

What kid doesn't want to comp into a yummy donut?!

The best part of the trunk or treat--plopping down and eating as much candy before Dad finds you.

Kimball's preschool does a costume parade. Kimball's cute teacher Mrs. Monica was a crayon.

I think Kimball really likes the little girl in the red wig. When he saw this picture he said, "Mom, that's Isabella Puente, she a worm-maid."

I love holiday food! They boys had fun eating pumpkin jack-o-lantern pancakes and little ghost meatloaf muffins. And those boys are just so stinkin cute!