Boating at Lake Conroe

In May we went with our friends, The Goddards, to Lake Conroe for the day.  We rented a boat and spent the day water skiing, wake boarding, and tubing.  It was a lot of fun!  They have two boys just a year younger than Elaina and Erin, and a daughter that is just a little bit older than Isaac.  We decided to leave the babies home with a baby sitter, so it was the four kids and four parents.  I love the flexibility of being students - Mike and Scott were easily able to take the day off, and we pulled Elaina and Jeff out of school for the day.  Since it was mid-week, there weren't many boaters.  It was such a fun day.

Elaina and Jeff were little dare devils

Me, Erin, and Mike.  Erin was a little more concerned because when we first arrived, Erin and Nate went out together and both fell off and got pulled under for a second.  They were both fine, but just a little nervous about doing it again.  Going with Mike and I helped Erin feel comfortable going out again

Mike, getting ready to wake board

Cute Erin in her life jacket

Sadie and Scott.  We sure miss them!

Elaina and Jeff, keeping our wake boarders safe in the water

Elaina, swimming toward the boat

Erin, Jeff, and Elaina at the front of the boat

Me and Sadie

Erin, learning how to drive the boat

Erin and Nate

(May): Field Day

The girls had fun at field day in May.  

The school was nice to let Erin attend and participate in all of the activities with Elaina

Their team won the step-through-the hoolahoop challenge

Egg walk

Shooting the ball off the pylon (or cone, for  my American readers)

Erin is getting soaked by her friend, Eden (another little sister) in a duck-duck-goose game

Jump rope

Erin, Elaina, and Adriana

Kelsey, Elaina, and Haleigh

Running race.  Elaina won the first race!

I love these school games.  It makes me feel like I'm in second grade again.  Funny how some things never change.

Adriana was Elaina's best friend this year

Funny faces.  These girls crack me up

May 19, 2012 - Birthday Boy!

We are so lucky to have this little boy in our family.  I realize I'm biased, but he seems to have this magical charm that melts people's hearts.  He has an adorable little smile and he smiles at everyone.  He's my little buddy - I think he's been more attached to me than either of the girls.  I wouldn't describe him as clingy, but he definitely likes to know where I am at all times.  I feel lucky to be so loved by him. 

I wrote a post around the time of his birthday, but didn't get around to posting it, so here is how I described Isaac at one years old:

Favorite foods:  paper, yogurt, ice cream, teeny tiny beads left on the ground by his older sisters
Favorite hobbies:  digging through the garbage for buried treasure.  Usually he wants buried treasure that he can eat
Favorite past time:  pulling books off the shelf
Favorite person:  His Mom.  He may smile at you from a distance, and his charming little smile will melt your heart, but really, he only seems to like his Mom right now. 
Favorite toy:  door stops, electrical outlets, electrical cords
Least favorite toys:   His own toys.  What's the point of playing with manufactured toys when you've got door stops, electrical outlets, and cords?
What soothes him:  His thumb
What makes him laugh:  His sisters, His Daddy
Best Friend:  Millie.  He seems to think that their best buds.  Millie is a little wary of him because Isaac thinks it's funny to pull her hair, but she does sit under his high chair during dinner because he likes to share his food with her - he throws it on the ground and then leans over to see if she got it

(May): School Friends

I took my camera with me when I visited Elaina for lunch one day.

Elaina and her teacher, Ms. Rogers.  She loved Ms. Rogers!

Elaina and her friend, Adriana

Jaden, Sonovia, Elaina, and Adriana

Jaden, Sonovia, Elaina, ?, ?, Adriana

Elaina and her friend Haleigh were table washers that day

Elaina and Candace

Pictures from Graduation Day

Some of the other Economist PhD Graduates: 

Mike, Jianhong Mu, Yasser Bouhlal, Jean-Claude Bizimana

Mike and his parents

Graduation Ceremony

It was nice to attend Mike's graduation ceremony and celebrate this huge accomplishment.  The ceremony was really neat.  The PhD's walked into the room first, and then the masters and then the undergrads.  Once the ceremony started, the PhDs walked up, received their diploma, and then walked across the stage, where their adviser put the hood on them.

It meant a lot to Mike that his parents came for the ceremony

It's a little hard to see, but Mike is off to the right, in front of the podium, about to walk across the stage.  They are just about to call his name: Doctor Michael Trousdale.  It gave me goosebumps to hear that.  He made it after five years of hard work!

Walking across the stage

Richard, his adviser, hooding him (Mike is the one in red that is facing the audience)

Grandma & Opa Visit

Mike's parents came to visit for his graduation ceremony, and Elaina was thrilled that Grandma and Erin went to have lunch with her at the school cafeteria

They convinced her to do a silly picture too

We went for a walk around the neighborhood

The girls came too, in their pajamas!

The quality isn't great, but this is Mike and the kiddos with his parents after lunch at Blue Baker

Feeding the ducks