Our Fun Family

Taking cooking classes at Young Chefs Academy has really paid off! Grace spent the last 2 days working on cookies with Gram. Yesterday, she and Gram made cookie dough, today it was time to actually do some real baking. It is amazing what a 3 year old can do given the right instruction, a few good tools and a lot of faith. I can't think of a more simple joy than watching and waiting for fresh baked cookies. I never have been particularly good at waiting, hopefully Grace will learn to have a bit more patience than I do. "Scoop, lift, flip!" Grace has been watching me make pancakes, well, for years now and that is what I have always told her a spatula is for, and how to use one. I wonder how many cookies Grace flipped before Gram convinced her that a gentle slide would do just fine. This week we dive headlong into the college football season with the first tailgate party of the year. I am sure my little sous chef will be busy by my side. Stay tuned for pics after the game.

Hello SUMMER!!! Summer is here, so that means pool time. Here are a few pics to show what is keeping our family busy this year. Grace has turned into a fish! She loves being in the pool and she loves how her float suit and noodle let her swim all by herself. Tonight, she even asked me to help her swim UNDER water!! Woohoo! She didn't quite make it, but she is getting there. I am definitely a proud papa when I am in the water with her. Hailey is doing her job. She is eating, sleeping, crying and pooping. What more could we ask for? She sleeps through the night, and has practically since the night we brought her home. At 6 weeks old, she is starting to giggle and grin. Brenda seems to be the only one who can catch her in the act, but I am told it is pretty cute. Grace is still loving her cooking classes. Last week we made campfire potatoes and indoor smores! Her confidence in the kitchen has grown by leaps and bounds over the last 5 months since our first class back i...

Lots of people have asked us if we take Grace to the football games. And the answer is OF COURSE! Usually when the question comes up they kind of marvel at the thought keeping such a young toddler's attention for an entire football game. We are usually in our seats when the band marches on the field and it takes an act of God to get us out of the stadium before the "Eyes of Texas" at the end (we did leave at halftime of last year's KSU game because it was POURING rain). Here are a few pictures from the Rice game last weekend. She loves to look for Hook'em, and she loves the band. She doesn't even get scared when Smoky (the cannon) fires after Texas scores. At the FAU game to start the season she did fall asleep for about 20 minutes on Mommy, but at the Rice game, she was content to curl up next to Daddy, but there would be no closing of the eyes (that how you miss stuff!). In the last pic, this is her version of getting her "horns up". She can'...