Don't Mess with Texas

Lately our kids are old enough that traveling with them is less painful. Also after the bomb cyclone, we were all ready for a little sunshine. So we headed to Texas for Spring Break.

We visited a cool aquarium. Lately the kids are obsessed with ocean stuff. I think it's time they watched Jaws. 

Then on to the space center in Houston. That was an amazing experience. This is the 747 that carried the space shuttles, along with a hi-fi replica of the space shuttle Independence. We went in both.

This is mission control. For real. They told us that you could apply to work there if you have a science or engineering degree. I briefly entertained a change of careers until they also said that mission control employees had to be calm in stressful situations. Moving right along...

to the really cool room where they work on all the stuff to transport astronauts to the International Space Station and eventually to Mars.

Then we saw a real Saturn Rocket that was scheduled to be part of a mission that got scrapped. It was gigantic and so cool. 

Then back to Galveston for some seashell hunting

and some lovely sunshine.

At some point there was something about a zoo, I think. 

And then more beach time. It was warm but weirdly foggy. Better than getting sunburned, I say.

Perfect weather for enjoying Whataburger on the beach.

We wrapped the trip up with massive amounts of saltwater taffy made by this establishment:

You can never have too much taffy. 

What is a Bomb Cyclone?

A bomb cyclone is a special kind of storm. It involves high winds and lots of snow. So some places have no snow and others have huge drifts. The drifts seem to be attracted to garage doors, as illustrated here... looking from inside our garage out to our driveway.

A bomb cyclone traps your in your house for two days while everybody drives each other crazy so you eventually tell your kids they can use the oven... if they promise to clean up after themselves. 

A bomb cyclone involves lots of shoveling afterwards. Or so I hear. Thanks, Chris.

Christmas 2018

Christmas.... is a big deal.

Sometimes I wish it was less of a big deal.

Christmas Eve got off to a bit of a rough start when I went to the store to get a few last items and my backup camera blanked in the middle of me backing... which was also when the gal who parked across from me was backing... which I would have known if my camera hadn't cut out. Our cars briefly kissed and then after a short and apologetic conversation, we both threw up our hands and went on our merry ways. Still, I was kicking myself for the rest of the day.

I got over it in time for the Christmas Eve festivities, which included (as always) Jesus' birthday cake. 

The kids always look forward to decorating the cake as one of the great highlights of the evening.

I must say they did a pretty good job this year. It's actually not half bad.

There was a lot of leftover frosting, but I have no idea where it ended up.

After dinner and cake and the Reading of the Christmas Story and the Opening of the Pajamas, we went to go see lights. Jane had to bring Scruffy along. Scruffy goes everywhere with Jane. Chances are good he will accompany her to college. We will cross that bridge when we come to it.

After the lights, we put the kids to bed and made the magic of Christmas. 

The next morning, the kids were like... kids on Christmas morning. 

Emily has been looking forward to getting a guitar for Christmas. She has been learning on a school-issued guitar all year and she was thrilled to finally have her own.

Jane also had a great Christmas morning. Her favorite present seems to be this panda blanket, in which she has taken up permanent residence. 

We topped things off with a healthy breakfast. 

Emily spent the rest of the day playing her new guitar.

And Jane spent the rest of the day not getting dressed and watching movies while eating candy from her stocking. She's allowed. It was Christmas, after all.

That's all, folks. Christmas is great. And I'm so glad it only happens once a year.

Jane's Perfect 10

Jane has finally hit double digits!

It's hard having a birthday around Christmas, but Jane decided to embrace the season.

She wanted an Elf party, complete with pasta and Pop Tarts and friends.

And this amazing Elf cake, made by her exhausted mother.

That's a lot of candles, Jane! And a lot of friends. I still don't know how I gave birth to an extrovert but I am learning to cope. 

Happy Birthday Jane!

Halloween 2018

This is Halloween... This is Halloween...

Mom and dad are out of the pumpkin carving game.

If you want pumpkins, you have to carve them yourself.

And that's how that looks:

They didn't turn out too badly.

I think this may be Emily's last year dressing up. 

Here they are at Trick or Treet Street at the high school. Emily wasn't very excited.

But she was more than happy to go trick or treating. They went with friends for awhile and then with each other til the porch lights were all turned off. They had quite the haul. 

Don't worry about all that candy. Jane always makes hers last til Christmas. Emily makes hers last til election day... eve... or maybe the day before that. 

Cross Country

This year Emily made family history and became the first of us to participate in organized sport. She ran cross country.

Sometimes the meets were big..

and sometimes they were small.

Sometimes the weather was burning hot...

and sometimes it was freezing cold.

Sometimes she ran in the middle of town...

and sometimes in the middle of nowhere.

The important thing is that she ran. At the beginning of the season, she was finishing almost last. By the end of the season, there were a handful of kids finishing behind her. We are super proud of her that she participated and that she improved. She's learned that when it comes to being healthy, you don't have to be the fastest, you just need to be consistent. She's already looking forward to track season in the spring. 

First Day of School 2018

This is the first year the kids haven't been in the same school. It was bittersweet.

Emily set off before dawn to ride the bus to junior high. She has been practicing cross country for the last couple of weeks so she already feels pretty comfortable with the school. It will be an exciting new adventure.

Jane went to 4th grade. She felt a little out of place going to school for the first time without her sister, but I am sure she will adjust. 

Only two more first days of elementary school and then Jane will head off to junior high too. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it...