Tiny Tots, Library Time, and Play Group

I am behind in posting things and I usually forget to post about the things that we do all the time so here are a few of our activities!

We have the BEST library time at our library!  We have been going almost every Wednesday for 2 years now and it is so much fun!  Miss Missy does so much more than just read a book or two and the crafts are always great as well.

Allie is still shy when we go, but she is getting better!

Making a scarecrow

Showing Miss Missy her scarecrow

I hosted another ply group at our house in early Oct.  It was still very humid and hot though!

I think we had about 25 people that day!  Allie was not too sure about sharing all her toys and was very nervous when she could not see me!

Bonnie was trying to explain something to Christian.  Allie, Kirsten and Meagan eating lunch

Another play date at an indoor "green toy" shop right down the road from us!

I even brought Catherine along that time!

Allie and her babies!  She always has a baby with her these days!

 Zoo Boo with our group.  Allison and Lindsey and Meagan

 Meagan, Blake, Lindsey and Allie

 Checking out the Lion!!!

 Allie loves getting to see her friends each week and I love getting to see mine!
 Lunch time!

 Cheese!

 Herman park afterwards

 Last spring and this past fall, we also did "Tiny Tots and Tunes" through our church on Monday mornings.  It is a super fun music and "play" class.  
This is at our church.  They have so many great places for the kiddos!

 Kirsten and Allie having lunch at the last class

They got to dress up for the last class because it was Halloween.

Getting all her wiggles out!

They always do bubbles at the end and Allie loves to catch them!

Got one!

Pumpkin days 2011

 Jon and Allie carving a "Buzz Lightyear" pumpkin

 Gross!  Slimy!

Lindsey, Allie, Meagan at a pumpkin patch

 This was last year at a pumpkin patch!

 Lunch time!  Allison, Meagan, Lindsey, Allie, and my mom.

 Hi sweet friend, can you see me??

 My little pumpkin!

 Our Friday fun group had a Fall festival day at Jeri Lynn's house.  We rode with Allison and her kids since Jon was out of town and we stayed at my parents' house that week.  Meagan as Strawberry Shortcake and Allie was a Ballerina Princess. (it was cold that day)

 Allie and Anna Kate who was dressed as Twink from Rainbow Bright.  So cute!

They got to paint little pumpkins!  It was fun to watch all the other kids paint ALL over their pumpkins, hands, clothes and Allie just painted a little bit on hers and was satisfied!  I think she is going to have some artistic talent!

 We also went to a Scare-free festival at one of the church's in SL.  However, a clown is scary to a 2 1/2 year old!  And of course we ran into one right as we got there and as we were leaving!

 Allie and Grandma

 Roasting marshmallows.

Yummy and one of my favorite treats!

Horse carriage ride.  Allison and her girls were there and so were some of our other friends, but it was so crowded that we really didn't see them.

Two nights after the festival, Allie woke up in the middle of the night saying "Mommy, Mommy, I need you!"  When I got in her room, she said "remember the clown? with orange hair and big feet?"  I said yes and she continued to describe him.  Then she said "Remember when we were in California (in Sept) and we roasted marshmallows?  We roasted two there!"  (At the festival we only roasted one).  I am always surprised at what she remembers and that it comes out at such random times!  

We did not do any trick or treating because she was actually in bed by 7 that night because she did not nap and had been going non stop for quite a few days.

Trip around the world with Houston as final stop!

Back in 1999-2000 I lived in England doing Young Life.  It was a crazy year and the reason I survived was because of an awesome family that lived right around the corner from us (my roommate Julie and I).  The Bates were part of the committee that  got YL started in England and at the time had 2 teenage daughters; Catherine and Zsa Zsa.  They became like family to me and I ate dinner with them most nights and even went to Spain for 2 weeks with them.  So many FUN memories!  I was quite surprised last Spring when Catherine contacted me wanting to come visit us.  She is now 28 and has finished all of her school and internships to be a doctor.  And what better way to celebrate than taking a trip around the world!  She went to Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, Portland, and last stop Houston! (no need to go to Europe as they  go there all the time)

I tried to think of great things to do in Houston, but all that stood out was NASA, shopping, and eating...  We did go to the zoo the first day, and I made blueberry pancakes for her, but I had forgotten that she was probably tired!  :O)

Monkeying around!

Petting Zoo.  When we were in Spain, we went to a drive through safari that was really cool- the Houston zoo is OK!

Who needs a train system that you can actually ride all across the country when you can ride the one around the zoo!

She got us some fun aprons!  Jon can now stay clean when he grills and Allie has one to help me cook!

"Breakfast time Miss Catherine!"

Taking her to the finer places Houston has to offer!!!!  Getting eyebrows threaded!

Allie LOVED having Miss Catherine with us and so did we!  She even taught Allie to use a knife and do it the "proper English way!"  Check her out!

Proof too that I did cook!

After taking her to our playgroup on Friday afternoon,  we went to Kemah.

"look Miss Catherine!"

Saturday, we went shopping (one of several times) and then to NASA.

It was fun to go and I am glad that my mom was watching Allie so that we could actually look at everything.  It had been at least 15 years since I had been there!

We got BBQ for dinner that night and brought it home and my parents joined us.  We tried to play Nerts that night, but Catherine whipped our booties!  We  used to play all the time when I lived there, but when you don't play for awhile, you get rusty!

Monday we rode the Metro train into the Medical Center and downtown.

Jon's friend, Erin, who is a nurse at Texas Children's showed us around.  There are not any hospital systems that big in England-especially in Sidmouth!

The water wall

Thanks Erin for showing us around and telling us about the fun water wall there!

It was actually quite warm while she was here  so we stopped to get some smoothies!

Allie DID share with me!

Next stop was the Chase tower to go to the 60th floor observatory

Too fun!  Great views and would be super at sunset!

We then went to the tunnels for lunch but ended up eating at the corner bakery on Main.  BTW- finding a bathroom in the tunnels is a JOURNEY in itself! and we did it twice!

I was glad that I finally did this and now I know how to get around and can take Allie by myself.

We grilled steaks one night, had fajitas at Pappasitos, BBQ from Rudy's, seafood at Kemah, and I even cooked some!  That's what we do in Houston- eat!

 This cracks me up because when I lived in Sidmouth, I used that same chair many times trying to get some sun- and to no avail!  IT was the rainiest season they had on record when I was there and I missed the Texas sun!  SO now Catherine was getting some  of what I had longed for!

 Allie and I already miss Miss Catherine so much!  It was so wonderful having her stay with us and she is one of those friends that even after 12 years, you can pick up like it had been one week!  She was so mature at 17 that it seemed like old times!  Jon talked about going to visit this summer...  Allie is at a good age now that I would consider it and she would love to see her again!

In the summer of 2001, Lindsay and I went to visit everyone in Sidmouth and we stayed with the Bates and did all sorts of fun things with them.  So we met Lindsay for Breakfast the morning before she had to fly home.

This was taken in 2001 of Catherine and I. I don't think either one of us aged!!!  :O)  Thanks Catherine for coming to visit us and for being so fun to be with!