Houston Zoo

LDS Houston Temple

Memorial Day Texas Style

We spent Memorial Day in Brenham, Texas with two of Kyle's siblings and their families who live in Texas. After a tasty meal of Texas BBQ takeout, we went to Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site and State Park. That's the site where the Texas Declaration of Independece was signed on March 2, 1836 and the state's Independence Hall (a replica) resides.

After, we stopped by the Blue Bell Creamery in Brenham, but it was closed for the holiday. We were disappointed to find the City's Pool closing early as we were arriving, but the hoses and sprinkler we set up in the backyard were just as fun and kept everyone cool. We ended the day with a trip to the local park.

Check back for updates of the rest of our Texas vacation.

Going on Vacation

Not by wagon . . .

nor by car . . .

but by airplane!

Here's Brooklyn waiting for the plane to come, watching her favorite Baby Einstein movie and eating her favorite snack: cheese crunchies. We're off to Texas to meet great-grandma and great-grandpa, and to visit lots of aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Eleven Months

Brooklyn turned 11-months-old today. She finally got her upper two teeth in so she's sleeping much better at night now. She loves books, grapes (peeled of course), overhead fans, animals, and sitting (and carrying) her chair.

Finally A Day Off Work

On Kirsten's recent day off work, we went as a family to a local park which had an environmental education center with lots of animals. After, we went for a scenic country drive and stopped at a popular orchard and farm market.

Passed Another Bar Exam

We recently found out that Kyle passed the February Ohio Bar Exam. He'll be a law clerk to a local judge starting later this year.

3 Scoops of Ice Cream for a Penny?

Last night, we enjoyed seven 31-cent scoops of ice cream from Baskin-Robbins, an event we're making an annual family tradition. Last year Kirsten and Kyle waited in a long at a Toledo store and happened to see many of their church friends also in line. Last night, however, there was no line when we arrived and we had a new addition of the family with us. That cute new addition was more interested in the balloons than in her frozen yogurt. Kyle wanted to tell the employees that there was a problem with their promotional sign but he just couldn't bring himself to do it.

Sunbathing Turtles

With the temperature high today expected to be 88 degrees, Brooklyn and Kyle hit the trails at Nixon County Park in the morning. They saw deer, snakes, cardinals, horses, squirrels, turtles, and more than their share of wasps and large bumble bees.

Visiting Mommy at Work

Privacy laws prevented Brooklyn from participating in the national "Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day," on April 23, but Brooklyn was able to visit her working Mom over the weekend while Kirsten was on pediatric call. Brooklyn loves the fish tank at the hospital and touching the life-size stuffed dogs in the gift shop.

Swingin' at Home With Doggie

With the weather so nice this weekend, Kyle installed a swing for Brooklyn below our high balcony. She loves it.

This week a friend who has a large dog watched Brooklyn while Kyle went to the doctor. Brooklyn and the dog quickly became friends and she didn't want to leave. She has also started pointing to pictures of dogs and puppies in books and gets all excited when she spots a dog from far away during our walks. Brooklyn received a puppy puppet from one of her grandmas recently and it now goes with her practically everywhere. Sometimes it sounds like she is saying "doggie" when she picks up her puppy puppet off the floor. Since Kyle is allergic to dogs, hopefully we won't get pleadings and protests for a real doggie from Brooklyn when she is older.

Rocky Ridge Park

This morning, Kyle and Brooklyn spent a few hours exploring the trails at Rocky Ridge County Park though Brooklyn didn't quite make it to the end. The purple socks pulled up high aren't meant to be a fashion statement but instead function to keep away ticks, which are abundant around here. Three Mile Island can be seen in the background off to the East in the ridge-top photo taken by a kind fellow on the trail. Kyle hopes to hike all of the county parks with Brooklyn in the next few weeks. Before Brooklyn was born, we hiked all the Toledo Metroparks together back in the fall of 2007.

To Grandparents' House We Drove