HEB & Centennial Park

I think I need to get on the Field Trip Committee...today we visited HEB with Gracie's class. The kids got an apple, an orange, some color sheets and some things from the pharmacy, but the kids were restless. We were in everyone's way...shoppers and workers alike...and it just wasn't too...too something...I don't know...fun?
They liked getting free stuff though :)

They knew their vegetables...

Now, we're in the seafood section...pew wee!

But, they did think it was cool to touch this live lobster...the poor lady kept saying, "No, don't touch him in the eye." I'm sure she thought we had ridden the "short bus", but she handled it in stride, thankfully.

The recycle slammer....

The freezer...frozen waffle anyone?

The dairy freezer...

I ran around real quick and got a shot of Grace through the milk door... :) mmm...chocolate...

Daddy had HEB Buddy envy...so Gracie let him wear her Buddy crown...

No, no valium, but goodies nonetheless...

The Wheel of Yuck...all of the liquid medicines are around the blue wheel and as you move the pink wheel, the recommended flavors for each med show through the boxes.

They had a snack (on the floor...because they didn't have enough room to seat us...ewww) and finally we were dismissed to the park for lunch...I bought Gracie some chalk and bubbles and she had a great time with that -

Then, she visited the guys flying kites...

This is Timmy and Dillon trying out a scooter ride...

My little monkey trying to get "the hang" of the monkey bars...

Clair Bear had it down pat...

She even gave Micah's little sister, Tessa, a ride down the slide...

It was time to go...Gracie had a riding lesson just down the street for her big horse show debut this Sunday...Happy Friday everyone! The weekend is here!

Yellow Like Sunshine

Gracie was off Good Friday and Monday for Easter and Jack didn't have a state holiday, so it was just the girls...we didn't too much Friday because it drizzled all day, but Monday, we had lunch and games at Chuck E. Cheese, visited several plant nurseries looking for something alive to replace all that we lost in the multiple freezes this winter, and then decided to frolic among the flowers at our stables...it was just for fun, but I think the pictures turned out pretty good...so, I'm sharing the love!

All Hail the Bunny!

Gracie got new pjs with Spring chickadees all over them. Also, two new bathing suits (the child is growing by leaps and bounds, I tell ya!) and a baby that giggles...I might have to sneak that baby...her giggles are contagious!

Oh, look...the chickadee is modeling her chickadees!

Now...for finding the chocolates!

They're everywhere...the Easter Bunny must be very tired from staying up to hide all of those eggs ;0

Is Daddy trying to scavenge the loot?

She must have chased him away...

Uh-oh! He was just hiding! Don't worry - Daddy didn't have a chance! That girl knows how to protect her treasure!

Hope everyone had an egg-stra great Easter!

The Pin Oak Charity Horse Show

A couple of Saturdays ago, we made the trek to the Great Southwest Equestrian Center in Katy to watch the Pin Oak Grand Prix competition (a more technical course - the height and sometimes width of the obstacles are increased to create larger challenges as well as tight turns and shorter distances between fences). Gracie slept (with covers and pillow...a travelling siesta!)almost the entire way there, so that's why, in the picture below, she looks cold and sleepy...but she was still very excited!
Once we were seated, everything was described as "Look, Mommy...awesome!"

The riders handled the course amazingly well...sure, there were faults, but they were all winners to us! Of course, with this level of show, the horses were all gorgeous - their reach and precision...wow!

This jump was right in front of us...you could hear the horses breathe, feel the whoosh of air as they passed...it was too cool!

She was just like this the entire time - totally captivated.

The winners lining up to receive their awards...

**Gracie will be participating in her first real horse show (in the Lead Line class) Sunday, April 18. Keep your fingers crossed that she does well - she is a little nervous, but very excited, too - I'm hoping this will really boost her self-confidence!**

Gracie's Kinder Musical, 3/26/10

She has that Keegan gene - she loves to sing!
All of the Kindergarten classes...

This section is her class (minus the boy in the checkered shirt on the very left): Bottom row (l to r) - Aliah, Claire, Micah; Second row - Timmy, Skylar, Cayden, Dillon; Third row - MacKenzie, Samantha, Rachel; Top row - Johnny, Gracie, and Noah.

You can't tell she's proud of herself, huh?

Great job, Squeezy!

Jack was manning the video on the regular camera while I tried to capture everything with the video recorder...he's not used to it, so be patient with the jiggles and panning in and out, but these two give you a general feeling for the evening. They had a really good time...Gracie didn't even tell me she had a speaking part - I didn't know anything about it until I opened the program! She told me it was a surprise! Out of all of the Kinder classes, only about 10 children were chosen for speaking roles, so Jack and I were so proud of her!

Send them up!

Update: The news wasn't so good last Wednesday...they will have to do another surgery that will be much more involved. Please keep praying.

Calling all friends and family...Daddy has some returning cancer on his shoulder and he will be having surgery next Wednesday, March 31. I convinced Mom that Patrick and I could handle caring for and checking on him (since she will be out of town), so Daddy moved it up from April 13 on the doctor's schedule this morning. Hopefully, that means that Daddy will be feeling better two weeks faster! So...just one favor...during the next couple of weeks, when you have a moment, please send up your prayers that he will have a speedy surgery with no complications and an even faster recovery so that he can return to the greens! Thanks to you all for your love and support and for keeping him in your thoughts -

xox
S

Off to the Zoo

It has been such a wet and cold winter that Gracie hasn't had a visit to the zoo in a long time. Given that she is such an animal lover, there couldn't have been a more perfect ending to her Spring Break. First things first...a train ride...

We'll have to go back and take pictures here at these horseshoe-like sculptures...

We all have PaPa's love of birds in us and it's evident here as Gracie took all of these herself...this one looks like a resin parrot that Mom just brought us to put on our patio for our "It's five o'clock somewhere" motto :)

Always a favorite...their flock of flamingoes never fails to take my breath away.

Thankfully, I sent along the umbrella stroller because on the train ride...yes, the very first thing they did even before entering the zoo...Gracie lost her shoe and didn't say anything to Mom until the ride was over...she's Shoeless Joe and had the dirty foot to prove it!

Gracie got to see the two new baby giraffes...she thought they were super cool!

...and so was the big cheetah...

But, Mom said that where she spent the most time, with the exception of the birds, was with the meerkats. Even though they are really a member of the mongoose family, Gracie thought they looked like monkeys...and this is a good thing because in their fervency to get out of the zoo crowds, they missed the monkey section - another of Gracie's favorites...but another reason to take her back soon, too! :)

It looks like Marmie made up for it with an ice cream and a tube full of little plastic sea creatures...to go along with her other little animals that she builds homes for with her magnets...not a bad day at all!

They topped the day off with a visit with Aunt Kathleen and Aunt Mary - like I said, couldn't have been a better ending to her week off!