Traveling to Texas

Post by Grandma W

After landing in Texas, I began texting Cathi. Once we came into baggage claim, I did not see her, so pulled out my phone to call her. She was there -- taking a picture of me calling her! You will note that Kevin is no where near me!!! He had seen them and run off to them with me oblivious to his absence.

My four grandsons!

Once we arrived at the house, Jeremy pulled out his skateboard, and Kien took a skateboard from the garage to the street as if he did it everyday!!! (Actually, this was his FIRST time to do such a thing!)




Kevin tried riding too! He and Kien did much better than I would on a first try!!!


Greg has told us about a gas station which houses a gourmet restaurant. He took us there tonight. Interesting place!

Gabe has decided that I am not so scary after all. In fact, he even liked me!

Kevin is thrilled to be with his cousins!

Pans!

Gabe found the pan cabinet! :) It was very loud for a short time.

A Saturday Afternoon

I was invited to attend a consignment sale a few months ago. I wanted to go check it out so I could get an idea on how to become a consignor. I happened to attend the 50% off day, and found some really great deals on clothes, toys, scrapbook and project items. So, once I attended and learned the in's and out's of consigning, I began my tagging.

I had planned on participating in the Fort Worth sale, but because I had completed all my items my friend Julia informed me that I could participate in multiple sales all over the DFW area. Grapevine's sale was a week away. I dropped off my items and was able to view online what was sold that day (every day for 4 days). I made a whopping $170 bucks! The bigger items sold like hot cakes and most of the clothes were sold. Luckily I had enough (with adding a few more items from the closet) to participate in the Fort Worth sale, too.

Saturday was the 50% off sale for the consignors in Grapevine (last day of the sale) so Greg and I went over there to check to see what was left and see if there was anymore toys. Gabe and Kien joined us and Brandy and Jeremy stayed home to finish chores and watch a movie. The handy dandy stroller works wonders!

This was the sign that was in the door way as we entered into the sale. HILLARIOUS!
Gabe just chillin' with a bottle and Kien was wanting everything!
After the long "torture" shopping event, we decided to stop at an Italian restaurant to eat. Gabe got to color for the first time! Yes, I had to tell him to get the crayons out of his mouth once or twice, but he sure made a pretty picture!
Kien is a pro! He knows just what to do!! :)

Sad Gabe

We went and had lunch with Greg and Gabe held daddy's business card the whole way home. When I opened the back door to unbuckle Gabe from his car seat, this is how I found him. So cute!

Gabe's Belly Laugh!

Ok, I apologize, I uploaded the wrong video.

Here is a clip of Gabe's belly laugh. It's amazing the things you can do to get a laugh! ;)

Friends, Pool and Toy Box Fun

We try to make it a point to go to our neighborhood pool a few times a year as the kids love swimming. Kien went last year, and this would be Gabe's first year! There is never any argument from Jeremy although, I believe the spark of swimming has left Brandy as she is in Varsity swimming at school. Ha!

Our good friend Julia and her two daughters accompanied us on our days swim activity. The weather has been so hot that the pool water was nice and warm with no squeals or easing into the water. As soon as Gabe was in the duck to get familiar with the water, he was OUT like a light! I guess the constant motion put him right to sleep!

Once Gabe woke up it was time to get him to splash with his brother! Both Julia's girls LOVE to swim (in the background on the right) and they were like little fishies alont with Kien!

Once we were done swimming, it was time for a small snack as the gathering of all the children and items was going to be quite an ordeal. Brandy was extremely helpful with taking Gabe and Kien (one at a time) to change them into dry clothes. Gabe was impartial about leaving the pool, but no one else really wanted to leave.

I purchased this little table at a garage sale at an outstanding price of $8.00. The table is around $200. brand new. Anyway, in my mind I was thinking that this was perfect size for Kien to kneel on the floor to color or play puzzles, and just the right size for Gabe to also participate in puzzles (not the coloring -as there wouldn't be crayons left because with no doubt, they would have been consumed!)

I purchased some batting and some material to hot glue around the parameter as there were 4 very sharp corners. Of course, I never got around to doing this project, but I did have to eventually take the table OUT of the family room because there were too many close calls of corner collisions. AND, the final straw was when Kien and Gabe would stand on the table to get to the counter. SIGH! I will let them have it back when they are a bit older I think.

As you can see, both the boys LOVE to climb on or into ANYTHING. Kien loves to stand on his truck, and Gabe has figured out how to get into the toy box (thanks to little big brother Kien)!

Here Gabe is happy, right?!Don't let him fool you, if you tell him "No" He will throw a fit such as this. It kinda looks like he is trying to sing an opera song! lol!
And then he finally realizes that he is NOT going to get his way, so then he proceeds to play with his toys. HA! I win!
Oh, and this is when we were at Michaels to purchase some of the sale items they had I needed for my projects. Kien was not so sure about these fuzzy "boinkies" (that Jeremy has named them to be) but Gabe loved them. He was very careful to just let the tips of his fingers and hands touch the thing.
This is what happens when you put a roll of paper towels in reach and not put them away. LOL!

Closet Project....

Unfortunately I don't have photo's yet of our closet transformation (to come when completely finished), but, I do have these of which will come in real handy when Jeremy decides to marry. ;)

He tried to help me go through some belts in my closet but I didn't realize it was to come out so stylish! HAHA!

Back to the 80's!

So FC Church has a series every year called "At the Movies" that is an awesome event. The place is decked out in theater style entrance and it is the whole kitten caboodle! Movie theater candy, drinks, popcorn etc... This is a time where we get to bring our drinks and food IN church to watch a movie. Pastor Ed will take a movie and pull some moral/immoral truths and apply it to our lives today and show the biblical truths of how we can grow spiritually and reach out to our lost and dying world.

During this series we have a movie from the 70's, 80's 90's and current. We had the opportunity to dress up in the era of the movies. Of course, I am from the 80's so I happen to find a shirt that would "fit" in that time and so did Brandy! I realized how much hair spray we truly used back then AND the awful colors of make up!! Not to mention the silliness of cuffing the bottoms of our jeans! HAHA!!! It was fun, Brandy I think wins the award this time though. By the time we got to church the teased hair and "ultra hold" hairspray was nearly gone thanks to the humidity! Guess they don't make hairspray like they used to. Ha!

Brandy touches up her make up in the car... BLUE!!!

Siblings who get along...

...with the help of a great movie of course! Had to get the shot! It was cute at age 3 and 6, but at 13 and 16? It's a miracle they haven't punched each other yet!!!! Ahhhh, sibling love... Even Duke got in on the love!

A Bushel and A Peck!

Kien loves to sing a Bushel and a Peck thanks to a Veggie Tales music CD I purchased last year. He can do it on his own -uh, minus a verse or two! :)

Race Car!

Greg has been inspired by a neighbor friend to participate in racing. No, this is not his car, it's the inspiration. However, it wasn't long before the motorcycle was sold and a Miata ended up in our drive way to race at the SCCA. And -- when an idea sparks, it is contagious! Greg's boss even bought a cheap Miata to race as well. An idea so popular that even the boss' wife had T-Shirts made! (photos to appear shortly after our first event)

When we will have time for this, I don't know, but it's a fun idea. I can see it now.... Mom, Brandy, Jeremy, Kien and Gabe sitting under the canopy drinking cold drinks next to the fan watching and rooting for daddy to put the pedal to the medal! Ahhhh, good times ahead, eh?

So, the point of this post is simply to share the cuteness when Kien sat in the "inspiration" car. He'd make a perfect candidate as he weighs very little. Future racer? I am guessing it's a very likely possibility!

Oklahoma in July

We were invited to Oklahoma for the Fourth of July to visit and eat great food! We also got to meet some cute little animals. Kien LOVED them! He was NOT afraid to just go right on on and help himself! The turkey was bigger than he was!

Kien also wanted to get in the pool with the duck, but we explained to him in 3 year old terms that it was dirty yucky water, and that is where the ducks cool off on the hot day.

Gabe was not thrilled with the brightness of the sun, so we had our wagon handy just in case. You just never know when you will need such a thing.

Last but not least on our little tour of all the upgrades and projects going on, Kien wanted to sit on the tractor. He loves anything that has wheels. Especially tractors!