The Awesome Birthday Party

the awesome cake I got and coordinated with Lightning McQueen. I had to guard it around all the boys wanting to get the car off the cake. I knew Gavin would like it. He refers to it as "the car that was on my cake".

We went to a brand new park we found while helping with an Eagle Project, so I knew we'd be the only ones there. All the kids were off school for MLK day, so it was fun to have them all there to play. Some of the kids even brought some cool toys for him, though we only requested they come and have fun. He was so thrilled!

We got him this "Super Why" letter and word recognition game, the "Planet Heroes" station with 2 new Planet Heroes (Ace of Earth [an astronaut with a jet pack] & Uranus Yuri [with a suction cup blaster that sticks tremendously well to the glass tv screen] )

Luckily enough, a family was there to exercise their 2 Quarter Horses (a white one the kids didn't ride and "Roxy", the chestnut in the picture), and a white spotted Arabian, whom I got to ride slowly after the kids were done and i was sure of her extremely docile temper.

This totally topped off our party. How Amazing! We got to ride horses! These people just made the kid's month. I was on a high the rest of the day.
Gavin is so wonderful. He's such a natural.

Pizza, Cake, Ice Cream, Presents & HORSES !!!
It was such a Blast; I don't expect to be able to top it next year.
Happy Birthday Gavin, we love you ; )

Gavin is 3yrs old !

Sunday, Jan. 17th was Gavin's 3rd Birthday. I like to look back at how he's changed (and stayed the same) in his few years. I posted our traditional birthday breakfast muffin pictures below.

3yrs

2yrs

1yr

Newborn

My niece is born ! - Jan 7th, 2010

Autumn Rose Grantham
8lbs. 2oz. 22" long

Yeah for my little sister Megan! She went 11 days early.

We're both having girls 2 months apart. Hers around my anniversary and mine around hers.

Blue Bell Ice Cream Tour - 1/5/10

3D Ultrasound of our Baby Girl - 12/31/09

Christmas Day 2009

Christmas Eve

Dale brined an Amazing tasting turkey in an Apple Cider Brine for our Christmas Dinner the next day. We found a Kroger with mini size carts just for Gavin. Christmas Eve was probably a bit busy for his first time with this activity, but he had a blast, and we put all our stuff in his cart. He felt very important.

We also did our Nativity later that night. I didn't even have to stuff a pillow in my robe to be Mary. Gavin was a GREAT Joseph, Shepard and Wise Man. He was so gentle with "baby Jesus". He will be a wonderful big brother in a few months.

Eagle Project

Dale went to help David with his Eagle Project and Gavin and I tagged along. It's a very nice brand new park, and down a little trail is more real beach sand next to a muddy river bank then there is at the actual beach down south. (And yes, I actually posted evidence of my not yet 3 yr old on top of our Tahoe, but he's obedient and safe with Dale.) I just love the outdoors here in Houston. I love the trees, and I'll be sad when they're not around anymore.

Dale receives Tax Scholarship !

We were invited to the end of the year Christmas Banquet for the Tax Executive Institute (Houston Chapter) for Dale to receive the Tax Scholarship he was awarded from them. It had an India theme, with wonderful traditional Indian food (that I LOVE), and authentic prizes from India. I won the leather etched painted Elephant piggy bank for our table, and the beautiful silk scarf I'm wearing in the picture. Yeah for Dale!

Christmas Break NASA trip

Ward Christmas Party

Snow in Houston ! - Dec 4th