Scripture Specs

Gavin was so good to "cheese" for this picture, I had to reward him with posting it. What an Awesome nursery we have! He takes things home with him every week.

NASA Space Center, 1/1/09

Dale on the flight simulator. The computer said he did an amazing job! I thought it just told everyone that...until I tried.

Our tram tour took us to this building where the retired and current mission control is located, and this hanger sized "room" were Astronauts do real trainging for space. This is the shuttle simulator.

Inside this building (as demonstrating by the picture seen here on the outside), is the ACTUAL Saturn V (5) rocket! Reasembled for our viewing pleasure, pieces that had exited our atmosphere, and the triangle shaped capsule that plopped into the ocean.

Fuzzy picture at end of Saturn V, but look at the size of that exhaust pipe! Its Texas sized (or Alaskan sized, as Dale likes to put it. ; )

A map of the Lunar Landing Sites, and gold stars with points of interest on the moon's surface, for future explorations.

Here's us, so close to a lunar vehicle that was once actually on the moon!

Gavin now plans on being an Aeronautic Engineer (as you see him demonstrating here how to repair a component in the fuselage with a cell phone charger and mitten as a work glove). His favorite words are Astronaut, rocket ship, space shuttle & fly to the moon. Daily I hear this question "Mommy, where Aeronaut? In space shuttle? He fly to a moooon!"

Gavin's first set-o-wheels

We took Gavin's Roadmaster tricycle he got from Santa for Christmas to the park to test it out. According to him, it works quite similar to the Flinstone's car, propelled by twinkle toes. Pedals are for decoration purposes only, apparently.

Galveston...after (Dec'08)

Dale's parents came the week after Christmas. On Monday we decided to go hang out on the island, walk the beach, see what it looked like after Ike from September. Thankfully my beautiful row of Victorian masterpiece homes are still intact near East Beach. Couldn't say the same about some restaurants on the coast. We enjoyed our leisurely walk, despite the construction vehicles moving sand away from the sea wall, though this was Gavin's HIGHLIGHT. What a boy he is. ; )

Dale's "spare time" quilt

Dale made this "t.v. quilt" for his parents for Christmas in his first few days of Christmas Break from school. (I tied it when he was finished.) We were all very impressed. He was glad it turned out well too, because he never plans on making a quilt again. All the hard work put new meaning to "made with love". Notice the pattern the spells BERG.

Snow Day in Houston (12/10/08)

Tortoise Love (Dec'08)

Our leopard tortoises, Shadrach & Meshach, get a lot of attention from Gavin. This day I walked into the living room and found that he had picked up Shadrach all by himself! (I'm convinced it's Shadrach's scheme to escape his box.) This was a "let's take a picture" moment over a scolding. They are his puppies and Gavin loves to show them love.

How to care for Baby:

Place the Baby

Wrap the Baby

Kiss the Baby

Love the Baby

Repeat

Meet the Rubbles!

Barney, Betty & Bam Bam (- the weapon). We thought we'd jump back on the theme train again this Halloween. Dale made his and Gavin's outfit, and my bow (he was convinced it would make me a believable Betty). I made my dress and now have officially sewn in a zipper all by my self! Yea me! Gavin was an earth friendly trick-or-treater, since I left his basket home. He even won a prize at the bean bag toss, what an arm. Such fun.

Playtime at the Grocery Store

This is the best thing to ever be stuck to a shopping cart! Amazing! I found a Kroger with one, and now its our favorite place. Shopping trips are so much more pleasant, and faster, including the 5 min. I'm willing to put in sometimes to track this sucker down. Its our FREE kiddie ride, no quarters necessary. Thank you Kroger!

Law Review (Oct 08)

Yea Dale! He was accepted into Law Review (the Law School's legal journal) and I got to go to his induction ceremony downtown at the US District Courthouse. He's an amazing legal writer and, though Dale likes to be very modest, he was told that his paper for entry was one of the highest scoring they've ever seen. He always makes me proud of him.

Gavin's Puddle Adventures (oct 08)

He just can't help himself, can't resist, he just simply must get right in that water. Thought I'd at least capture it. One day I'll wish he's still small enough to scoot through puddles on his car. I have so much fun with my little blond boy.

Ike weeks (Sept 08)

Well, the only real damage "WE" got, was from an enormous limb from the registered oak at our apartments that smashed in the covered parking 5 spaces down from ours. Luckily that just happened to be the only unoccupied space at the time, though it was blocking the truck of our neighbor "the cop". So when rain let up, Dale was out there with his might hand saw and was Hero of the Day.

We did enjoy some lovely leisure activities together. Thankfully our grill gave us an option for warm food and we had Blueberry (just add water) Pancakes every morning for 2 weeks. Gavin got lots of daddy time and read many many books (in the atmosphere of open windows and a celebrated breeze). We were at our friends the Tingey's most days in the 1st week (benefiting from their generator), and claimed this non-running Jeep from a neighbor. Gavin was thrilled. I should have taken a picture of memorable evening candlelight (rather lantern at the window to what we were lucky to see on our plates at the table light) dinners. All in all, a been there done that experience, and we now know the value of a solar shower. ; )

Galveston East Beach (Aug 08)

"I don't know how my hands got so dirty mommy, honest!"

"But this yucky muddy stuff is Awesome! What more could a Boy ask for?"

"Uh, I think I'll stay here thank you. I've assessed the situation with those ferocious waves over there, and this proves to be a more secure location at the moment. Though you drove an hour and a half for an ocean experience, I'm just gonna be right over in this here kiddie pool."

Gavin and cousin Hunter! (july 08)

Gavin is so loving. He loves babies, especially his cousin Hunter. We went over to Megan's in Gilbert, AZ before we came back to Houston, TX. Gavin was being so helpful, would lay on his tummy by Hunter, give him a blankey, or a toy. He was very excited when we let him hold the baby. I wish I could say Hunter had the same reaction. (they are so cute together)

Christian Courage

I just read this, and hope I'll always remember it:

In a recent article on Christian Courage , Elder Robert D. Hales of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles wrote, “I would say that one of mortality's great tests comes when our beliefs are questioned or criticized. In such moments, we may want to respond aggressively – to put up our dukes . But these are important opportunities to step back, pray, and follow the Savior's example. Remember, Jesus Himself was despised and rejected by the world. And in Lehi's dream, those coming to the Savior also endured ‘mocking and pointing … fingers' (1 Nephi 8:27). ‘The world hath hated [my disciples],' Jesus said, ‘because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world' (John 17:14). But when we respond to our accusers as the Savior did, we not only become more Christlike, we invite others to feel His love and follow Him as well.

Aunti Nessa (july '08)

This is my nephew Hunter, born June 16th. (here he is one month old). He and Gavin are just a year and a half apart. He's so cute isn't he ? What a cuddle muffin.