Day 7 and 8 of vacation 2011

Day 7:
It mostly consisted of driving up to Kansas from Texas. We stopped off in San Antonio to visit the Alamo, a break from driving... then it was time to hit the road again.
We arrived in Ark City about eleven o'clock that night.

Day 8:
It was just a relax day in a way. We spent the day in Ark City. John took the kids to the swimming pool and I went to visit an old friend that my sister and I met in the first grade when we first moved to B Street in Arkansas City..... maybe I shouldn't say old friend, long time friend... Sorry KIM! LOL
I didn't get any pictures of the kids in Ark City at all liked I had planned, day just flew by... O'well next time.

Day 6 of vacation 2011

Day 6 started bright and early with us driving a little further south for the afternoon and over night. We drove to South Padre Island, visited the Port Isabel Lighthouse. Alexandria wouldn't climb it, so John stayed down with her and I took the other two and climbed to the top and remembered, I really don't care for heights either. As I scooted my back along the edge of the wall I took these shots from atop the lighthouse.

Then we headed to the beach for the rest of the afternoon. The water was the clearest I have seen in a long time. It looked just beautiful.

I still can not get over how well these two got along on this vacation. At least until almost the last two days....

Day 5 of vacation 2011

The afternoon was spent hanging out at dad and Julie's swimming and having a cookout. Nice and relaxing.

Day 3 and 4 of Vacation 2011

Day 3: was just driving to Webster, Texas. A very long and at one point in Louisiana, very stormy trip. But we arrived in Webster at around 8:30pm, checked in at the Holiday Inn Express not to far away from either parent... which I highly recommend that hotel.....if you don't mind spending $96 a night....A fairly new hotel that opened in 2010.

Day 4: was spent with my mother going to the Space Center with the kids in which the theme is sports this summer. So the kids got to try different types of sports, like soccer, baseball throwing, human Foosball, which was fun to watch.

basketball

Lexie rode this shuttle simulation.... a mistake she will not make again.

Day 1 and 2 of Vacation 2011

After 4800 miles and over 2000 photos, I think I might be able to start sharing our vacation trek across parts of this country. A much needed vacation, and an uneventful one for the most part.
The first few days were a little hard on Elizabeth after learning her cat Snowball was going to be spending some time in the hospital when it was learned that she had a hairball blocking her colon. But all is well now and that cat is back home adjusting to life again after having surgery to remove the blockage and spending the whole vacation in the clinic.

The first stop on our trip was in Florida near Mayport Naval Station where we lived for five years after John joined the military. Right next to the base is a park and campgrounds where we camped out for two nights.

After setting up camp, we walked down to the beach and strolled along the shore to cool off from the hot day. That is what I missed about living there, walking distance from the beach.

The next day consisted of more beach time and some friends to go along with it.
We spent the morning at the beach, left, had lunch, and then headed back meeting up with friends I had made while living in Florida.

These two used play together ALL the time, along with another friend who has long since moved from Mayport.

Aubrie and Lexie were only three the last time they saw each other, so they didn't have the chance to get as close, but you can't tell that from the photo.

Friends picking up where they left off........

These two, Anthony and Ryan, have stayed in touch through xbox, playing games together the last four years..... They used to play baseball together, a lot of baseball.

Two teenage boys building a sand castle, I think.

Skim boarding I think he called this.
The friend really good at it,
Anthony...... not so much.


I unfortunately missed the part when he fell. He didn't last very long on it. fun to watch.

May-June 2011

If I am going to print these out every year for the kids, it might be nice if I keep up with the blogging. It always seems like there is something else that is more important that needs to be complete. I hope as well this is a way for family to stay caught up with our happenings here in Virginia, and perhaps not feel like we are so far away.
Our ballet recital in June was a very busy weekend, two days of rehearsals and shows.


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Alexandria has enjoyed gymnastics so much this year, she sees ballet as something boring and does not want to take it this fall. I think it is something that she could do well if she keeps at it... But I have to let her make that decision on her own. I am certainly not going to be one of those parents that forces their children to do things they do not want to do just because I think they could be great at it.
But I can't say, I haven't tried convincing her not to give it up.

I wish the pictures could be better, but you have to sit in the back of the studio, so we are not a distraction to the kids rehearsing. I need a bigger telephoto lens...

Elizabeth's hip hop class, her first year taking the class. I think she did really well for her first year.

I have seen a huge improvement in her ballet this year as well, after switching to a new studio. Though this dance was a little different, I still think she did really well.

Some catching up to do. . . .

I know, I have been a bit scarce the last few months. No blog, no facebook updates....etc.. LOL.... If only I didn't feel like there is something constantly in need to be done, worked on, cleaned, or driven around.

January started off with some early spring cleaning in the works. Deciding what stays and goes is getting easier and easier each time I have to do it. I can be such a pack rat, but I am finding with military and moving every few years, there are just some things you have to let go.

January was also the time to see the girls' progress in their dance classes, other than Elizabeth's ballet class we got to see the girls practice for a day.

3 weeks away now to recital time! I can't wait to get pictures of them in their costumes and for the break in dance classes four days a week! This will be the first time that John is not deployed during recital time! YEA! Help with one of the craziest days of the year!

Than I spent a couple of weeks in February and March making 6 smock aprons, with sleeves, for Jennifer's daycare, which was a little tricky at times....
Here is Lexie trying to model them for me.... LOL I am not sure what kind of fashion shoot she thought this was.... LOL

Easter this year... girls Easter egg hunting at the new church we are attending now. Our Chaplain retired in January from the military church we were attending, so we decided it was time to look for a new church.....

I have also decided this fall to head back to school and work on my Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in photography.

Elizabeth who continues to bring home honor roll grades every nine weeks, made straight A's this last time and also won the spirit award this year. Her guidance counselor was so inspired by her attitude towards her future goals and things that she does, like her willingness to help others, after school extra curricular activities, doing Odyssey of the Mind, helping out with the KICK program at her school and her dancing, that she thought Elizabeth should get the spirit award for this year, which was out of all of the 5th graders at her school. They had a nice luncheon for all of Newport News school district. A child is selected from each school, from 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade. They hold a very nice luncheon and the kids are presented with medals with their names inscribed on the back.




Well, I think that gets me all caught up. Just crossing my fingers that Anthony passes the SOL's and trying to teach him the importance of his grades these final 3 years of high school. He has goals, just needs to learn that sometimes you do have to work for them.