CROP WALK 2009

This year, we decided to participate in the CROP Hunger Walk that our area church is involved in every year.  It is about a mile walk that participants take after raising money for people across our nation and the world who suffer from hunger and also goes to help refugees.

As our children are starting to get older, as parents we are trying to find more and more things that we can do to help people less fortunate than we are and to really get the kids involved.  I volunteered for several organizations in college and it really has caused me to have a greater awareness at those who do not enjoy lives as easy as we do.  It is our hope that our kids will be able to gain that same awareness, have giving spirits and a desire to help those around them.

Here are the kids right before the walk began.

Here we are after the walk was over.  Overall, a great experience for our family!

Rub a Dub Dub, Babies in the Tub!

It seems like bath time in our house has grown to twice a day on most days.  They have their regular baths in the mornings and then by the time the evening comes they are messy from dinner or filthy from playing outside that they desperately need another.  That's ok, they all love bath time.

Surprisingly, they all fit in the tub together and are usually pretty nice to one another and are very careful of Maggie while she is in the tub.

Maggie really enjoys her baths and doesn't pass up an opportunity to cheese it up for the camera.

Owen is usually the one who is still in the tub even after all the bath water has gone down the drain and we have to make him get out.  I think he just really likes getting some bath time by himself.

Ellie is always a helper in the tub, making sure that Maggie has everything she needs.  Elise and Owen also take showers from time to time... they love that, but it does mean that water gets all over the place.

They're pretty cute if you ask me.

Magdalyn has been especially funny the last few weeks as she has really discovered the bath.  Many times when I can't find her, I realize she has crawled off to the bathroom and I find her hanging on the tub.  Our favorite is when I turn on the bath water and she stops whatever she is doing and goes into hysterics until she gets into the tub.  She loves baths!

Opening Day at Sea World

We've anxiously been waiting the re-opening of Sea World and this Saturday was the day!  Though it was a little chilly and really windy, we bundled up the kids and headed to San Antonio.  We didn't get out the camera too much, but I did snap a few pictures of our trip.

Ellie and Owen patiently waiting in line for a ride.

Mom, Owen and Ellie on the Ferris wheel ride.

Elise.

Mom and Mags.

Owen and Ellie feeding the dolphins.

Ellie wanted to touch a dolphin so bad, but they just weren't coming up to her this day.  Though, even if it came right up to her hand, I doubt she would have been brave enough to touch one.

Dad and Ells.

Mom and Maggie.

At the end of the day, the kids had wind-burned and Owen just wanted to sit in the stroller and eat snacks.  We love Sea World and the kids are always excited to go.  It always surprises me that we end up being there the whole entire day.  The kids always keep busy all day long.

After Sea World, we went out to eat at Bennigans...even though it has closed, apparently there are a bunch of franchises still open.  The kids were really hungry and pretty happy.

Our next trip will be over Spring Break with my whole family.  It should be really fun and we are looking forward to it.

GROSS-- my kids play out there!

Look what was in our backyard this weekend. A possum! SOOOO gross... I am feeling like I am going to throw up seeing the picture right now... these things are just giant rats.

It stayed in one spot forever. Ellie was the one who discovered it and said to Daniel, "Dad, there's a hamster in our backyard". Yikes. We watched it, the whole time I was freaking out that it was going to make its home in our yard, but luckily it went over to the neighbors side. No signs of it since. Thank goodness.

I have been scanning the yard each time the kids go out just to make sure it hasn't returned. We've had wild rabbits in our yard too... you'd think we live in a wooded area or something, but no. Seriously though, I am so grossed out!

Round Rock Donuts

This morning for a treat we went to Round Rock Donuts for breakfast.  It's a pretty popular place, judging by the long lines both in the store and at the drive-thru.

Gotta love the orange glaze.  Yum!

It's 82 degrees and February....

...what do you think we're doing? We are outside playing!!!