Sunday, July 19, 2009

Our trip to the Zoo

Yesterday (July 18th) we got up early and drove 3 hours so we could go to the Oregon Zoo in Portland. We had a lot of fun! Almost all of the animals were "viewable". The two that we couldn't see were the leopard and the rhinoceros. We took lots of pictures, but so many to choose from! Here are a few that we liked:



The Polar Bear. He was a lot of fun to watch as he tried to break his 55 gallon plastic water barrel.

The Penguins...the kids had to pose with them.


The Kyra exhibit (she's sporting her new, shorter haircut).

The Jacob exhibit..he wanted to stay with the bats
("cause that's what I want to be when I'm big mom"!).

The Hippo...Jacob waited and waited to see the hippo.

The elephants. We got to see the new baby and listen to them make all sorts of noises.

Walking to see the next exhibit.

And even though we can see one of these on Grandpa Anderson's wall, we had to see the black bears too.

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Coming out from under my rock

I feel like I've been under a rock for a while now. I have been so busy with school that I haven't had much time for anything fun since our trip to Texas. But there is light coming into my dark cave! Megan's birthday is next weekend and we are planning a trip to the Oregon Zoo in Portland next weekend with a detour up to Multnomah Falls. Should be a good one! (pics to come, I'm sure)!

I've been busy with kids, housework, hanging out with Jon, more housework, homework assignment upon homework assignment, trying to garden and such. Good news is that I'm 2 weeks away from finishing my awful essay and critical thinking classes. I also found out that in May 2010 I will get to walk at commencement! Yippee!! I won't be 100% completed with my degree until June, but it's close enough! (Of course I need to PASS first). Oh yeah an I've been keeping busy following the Seattle Mariners. Not a new obsession, just one that comes out every couple of years.

Jon is busy with work. He finished framing and siding his brother's shop (with Josh's help) while we were down in Texas and it looks great! They will be back working on it again soon I'm sure..lots to do there! He's also watching my baseball games with me - something I never thought would happen!

Kyra lost another tooth! She let Jason pull it while we were visiting them. She's very proud of the hole in her smile! She is extremely excited to be going into second grade and I honestly can't believe that she is big enough to be a second grader!

Megan I gearing up to be 6!!! Holy cow--Boy is she ever! She is very strong in her personality and likes it her way or no way. We're in for it!

Jacob is POTTY TRAINED!!! Miracles never cease! His legs are also finally long enough to reach the pedals of his bike and he loves to ride it around!

Ethan...where to begin!?!?! He is walking up and down the stairs now...with a little help from the wall. Today we caught him running around on his tippy toes...very cute! He loves giving kisses-big slobbery wet ones- and helping to throw EVERYTHING away.

Well, that's us in a nut shell. We're excited for our trip next weekend and then we'll be home for two weeks and then off to Montana....I've got a Josh Turner concert to go to! (Thanks Jon for the early anniversary gift!)

So, until something more exciting comes up or at least something I feel I need to write about......Later!

Sunday, June 21, 2009

More Pictures

These are a little mixed up as far as the order of when we did them, but I'm too tired to worry about that. We have gone to the Houston Zoo, fed sting rays, visited the Aquarium and Dinosaur exhibit. We have also gone to several parks and Jason even took the kids out for kayak rides (those pics to come soon).
Enjoy!
Our friends the sting rays

The girls found these masks and I thought it was too cute to pass up!
(Madison, Kyra and Megan)

Sea dragons!!



Jason kept giving me a hard time because I wouldn't feed or touch the sting rays and so I had to prove him wrong


A very cute Mason at the park

Jacob touching starfish

Jacob trying to feed sting ray


Inner workings of a dinosaur--interesting!

Megan and her sting ray food.....yummy!

I thought Jacob would love this guy! Nope, he hid behind the stroller!

At the zoo looking at the flamingos

Practicing how to stand like a flamingo

Monday, June 15, 2009

Pictures as promised

Here are just a few of the pictures we've taken so far. They are just random out of order types, but I think they show a lot of the fun we've been having. Enjoy!

Jayden playing at the park
Cousins: Pamela and Jason
Ethan and Pamela
Mommy's got Ethan!

Playing in the flowers

Hanging Jake by his toes...

Jacob



Here's one for Grandma and Grandpa Lanning

Front: Kayla, Jayden, Madison

Middle: Kyra, Trevor, Jacob, Megan

Back: Jason, Mason, Ethan, Pamela

(2 grandkids and 9 great-grandkids)

Jenny, Jason, and Madison at Madison's baptism Friday, June 12, 2009

Mason and his tantrum
---
It was sooo cute!

Me and my crew
Mason playing with my face
Jacob at the park

The terrible two-some

Worn out!

Fun in the sun with a hose

The dynamic duo.....sisters

double trouble

Madison, Kayla, Kyra, and Megan
Jenny and I made their sun dresses

More of the girls