Since I am so ridiculously behind, I've decided to do more of a newsletter type entry with just a few pictures interspersed to help me get caught up, so I don't have to write a 1,000-page novel. The idea of rambling on and on for months worth of stories is just too overwhelming for me! So I'm just going to get this over with!!! I'll go back to where I left off in in my November entry and try and summarize!!
September 2009
-Kristin and I started piano lessons
-Returned from trip to California for Jason's interview at Stanford.
Jason is very excited about the new suit he got for his interview (seconds before I dropped and broke the camera).
-Finished up first month of 1st grade with Kristin! One month down - 8 more to go! ;)
October 2009
-Got camera fixed! Whew! I hate being without my camera!!
Testing out my repaired camera on our cute little kiddies!!
-Kristin moved up a level in gymnastics and started Pre-Team! Unfortunately that means we have to go to gymnastics for 1.5 hours three times a week instead of 50 minutes 2 times a week. This makes a huge difference when you have to watch 2 kids while you're waiting! Yikes!!
-Jason was accepted to Stanford - yay! Now we have to wait until mid-December to find out if the Air Force will accept his application to specialize in Pain Management at Stanford.
-Jason and I watched the Godfather Trilogy for the first time ever. Now we can understand all of those popular lines we've been hearing for all these years. Sheesh - are we slow or what?! ;)
-Jason bought me my first bowling ball and shoes! No more cooties for me! Now I just have to work on my game and try to get better than Jason!! :)
-Jason's brother Mike came down to San Antonio to get corrective eye surgery, so he stayed at our house for a week, so he could recover and go to follow-up appointments. He BBQ'd for us a couple of times and I enjoyed not having to cook dinner. Ah...
Mike at work in the kitchen
Jason felt the need to celebrate Mike's new eyeballs by smashing his old glasses. ;)
-My sister's husband Richard got back into the Air Force (after separating almost 8 years ago), so we had him here in town for 2 months while he went through a training program on base. Surprisingly we only saw him maybe 3 or 4 times the whole time he was here! That's what happens when you're a busy home-schooling Mom of 3 with no time on your hands!!
-I finally gave in and chopped off my hair - coming to grips with the fact that my hair gets stringier the longer it gets and that I can never have a huge mop of thick long hair, so what's the point in growing it out?!
The shorter the better...for me anyways...
-We visited Aunt Shelley and Uncle Jim's up in Dallas and went to the kids' home coming game.
Mike and Jason at the homecoming game in Dallas
Uncle Jim and Katie
Me and Aunt Shelley
Caleb and his Uncle Mikey
Rissy and Kristin
Uncle Jim escorting Becky for the announcement of homecoming queen and king
-I was extremely sick for 4-5 days with what I thought was the flu, but wasn't really and had a difficult time taking care of the kids while Jason was at work. Ugh. After I recovered, I had never felt more grateful for my health (I usually don't get sick - especially that sick)! Thank you Jesus!!! :)
-Took the kids to Hallelujah Night at church (the alternative to Halloween thing) and had fun watching them run around and have fun in their Disney costumes.
Me and the kids getting ready to go to church for Hallelujah Night
Jason and the kids
Me and the kids
Me and my little Caleb-Pooh ;)
Jason and the kids
Katie and Kristin getting on a ride
Back at home, Kristin can't resist trying on Caleb's Pooh costume :)
Kristin and Katie paint their pumpkins
November 2009
-Went to Austin for an "Austin Gorge" in place of our Fall Gorge. We normally go to the Apple Orchard every October for our Fall Gorge where we eat all things apple (apple streudel, apple turnover, apple ice cream, apple cinnamon streudel coffee - after painting pumpkins and petting animals at the pumpkin patch). But this year I was sick and we missed it! So this year, we decided to go to Austin and experience the Austin Gorge (we went to 3 places that the host of Man vs. Food went to during one of his episodes). We went to Juan in a Million for their infamous breakfast burritos, then onto Round Rock Donuts to eat a 6 pound Texas Donut and then onto Salt Lick for some yummy BBQ. It probably gained 6 pounds that day - but it was worth it. ;)
Breakfast burrito (6 eggs, 1 whole potato, bacon and a tortilla). The challenge on Man vs. Food was to eat more than 8 burritos without any bathroom breaks to beat the current champion. I almost couldn't finish one. Maybe I shouldn't have eaten any chips and salsa beforehand. Ugh. It was yummy though!
Jason also could only eat one
Staring down my burrito...
Katie only wanted to eat the fresh tortillas
Then it was onto Round Rock Donuts for the Texas Donut
Jason and Caleb vs. The Texas Donut
Now it's the girls and my turn!!
After some shopping at Ikea and the outlet mall, we decided we were hungry enough to move onto the next and last stop - The Salt Lick.
Jason and Katie at the Salt Lick
The kiddie-poos
-Kept busy with school and going to the playground
Kristin and Katie back to back (They like it and it's less work for me!) :)
Katie and Kristin
Caleb loves the swing!
-Caleb started sitting up on his own
The first day I spotted Caleb sitting up on his own
-Watched Jason play soccer in the annual grudge match between the anesthesiology staff doctors and residents.
Staff doctors against resident doctors
Playing some soccer
Katie distracted by some dogs
The kids at Daddy's soccer game
Jason doing what he does best...socializing...
Running, running and more running
Tossing in the ball
-Grandma Christie and Grandpa Neil sent a package with some new clothes for the kids! Hooray!
Aw!!! How cute!! (If I don't say so myself that is...) ;)
Our little cuties
Panda bear girls
-Went to get our annual family pictures. It's getting more difficult with each kid! The more people - the more likely someone has their eyes half-closed or a finger up their nose!! ;)
The two pictures that made the cut...
-Went to Aunt Shelley and Uncle Jim's for Thanksgiving.
Jason and Katie at Salt Lick for dinner on our way to Aunt Shelley's
Me and Kristin
Me, Kristin and Caleb
Jason and Kristin
The girls helped Uncle Jim get the Thanksgiving turkey ready
Becky, Kristin and Caleb watching a little TV
Jason and Mark tossing Caleb back and forth
Me and Jason
Becky, me and Rissy
Katie and Kristin with Uncle Jim and Aunt Shelley - The turkey is ready!!
The boys are all really excited that we're about to eat! ;)
Kristin and Katie get started on eating
My little contribution to Uncle Jim's feast - my annual apple and pecan pies
Kristin and Katie love their new pajamas from Aunt Shelley
-Celebrated Kristin's 6th Birthday at Aunt Shelley and Uncle Jim's. I can't believe she's already 6!!!!
Aunt Shelley making a pinata for Kristin's Bday party
I'm trying to help Aunt Shelley with the pinata...why didn't I just buy one?!
Doug lifting up the birthday girl
I have a crazed look in my eye...my usual look after decorating bday cakes for 3-4 hours... One of these days I'll take a cake decorating class and figure out what I've been doing wrong... ;)
All of us minus Caleb (who was taking a nap) getting ready to start the party!
Me and Kristin
About to blow out the candle (Jason looks more excited than she is)!
Fur Real Cat from Aunt Shelley and Uncle Jim
Kristin's first bowling ball from Grandma Christie and Grandpa Neil
Presents from Great Grandma Jackson
Presents from Grandma and Grandpa Capra
Strawberry Shortcake house and kid tough digital camera from Mommy and Daddy
Caleb finally wakes up to join the party!
Kristin and Katie playing Tinkerbell online
-Bought our first real Christmas tree and loved that real tree smell...I just didn't love the pine needle mess! I soon realized that I can't even keep a Christmas tree alive!! How sad is that?! How difficult can it be? I did everything I was supposed to and it still started to shrivel up and die before Christmas!! I think I'll be going artificial next year!
Kristin helping Daddy pick out a tree
Katie wants to help too!
Caleb is enjoying the show!
Kristin decorating the little tree in her bedroom (something she HAD to have after seeing the one in Cindy Lou Who's bedroom on the Grinch). :)
Me and Kristin decorating the tree
Jason putting the start on the tree
We're all done!
The best I could do with the lights off
December 2009
-Jason and his brother Michael went to their first jiu jitsu tournament in Austin.
Jason and Mike stretching out
More stretching...
Jason's up!
He flips his opponent
And gets him in some sort of thingy-majigger... ;)
And then another...
Jason wins! 18-0!!
Jason and Mike listening to the judges
Jason picking up his gold medal
Now it's Mike's turn...
He gets out of something...
But the guy ended up choking him... Poor Michael... :(
We went out to for breakfast burritos afterward at Juan in a Million
-Spent our last day at Sea World with our season passes. No more Sea World for us unless we move back here after we leave California. How sad... It's one of the girls' favorite places to go!
The kiddies are excited to be at Sea World...not surprisingly... :)
Kristin and Katie with the dolphin thingy ;)
The girls with Santa Shamu
Jason and Katie on the Sea world playground
-Dog sat my sister and brother-in-law's new puppy for 4 days and realized shortly after her arrival that we will not be getting a puppy for quite some time!! She peed on our floor 30 seconds after coming in the house and she cried all night long every night! Yikes!! I was happy to see that thing go when my brother-in-law left for Washington!! We might at least get the kids a kitten...after we move from here...I suppose... I can't make any promises though! Taking care of kids is enough work! I don't feel like adding animals to my hectic workload!!
-Baked Christmas cookies with Kristin and Katie.
-Jason found out the Air Force accepted his application to train at Stanford!! Yay!!! We'll be moving to California in July when Jason finishes up his residency. We'll be there for one year and then who knows after that!! Disneyland season passes here we come!!! ;)
-Kristin was moved up to Level 4 in gymnastics after her last performance, so she'll be competing soon! Eek! That was fast!! I'm not looking forward to having to pay for all of those team leotards, warm ups and competition fees!!! Not to mention that she now has to go 3 days a week for 2.5 hours Mondays and Fridays and for 3 hours on Wednesdays!! Yikes!!
Kristin's Pre-Team class getting ready for their winter performance (3rd from the left)
And finish!
Kristin's Pre-Team Class
All done with Pre-Team and ready for Level 4!
Caleb is ready for his first competition (I don't know how he hung on for so long)!
-Spent too many days helping Jason work on his application for licensure in California. $1,300 later... Sheesh! They should have a military doctor rate since they don't make as much as civilian doctors!!
-Spent Christmas morning here at home and then drove up to Dallas to spend Jason's week of leave at Aunt Shelley and Uncle Jim's house.
The girls getting ready to cut gingerbread men, trees and snowflakes
They're ready!
Mmmm...yummy!
The girls opening their stockings on Cmas Eve
Kristin had a surprise picture for Katie and Caleb in their stockings... How cute!
Caleb is ready to start opening presents on Christmas morning!
Jason and his new pipe and "Stanford" sweater :)
Caleb opening one of his presents
Katie and her princesses
Kristin and her princesses
Jason opening his violin from my Mom and Dadroo
Testing it out...
Kristin and Katie opening their present from Grandma Christie and Grandpa Neil
The kids and our presents from us, Grandma Christie, Grandpa Neil and Great Grandma Jackson
Me and my presents from Jason
Caleb testing out his present from Aunt Shelley and Uncle Jim
Jason, Caleb and their cousins at Aunt Shelley's
The kids with Becky and their little snowman (yes - it snowed in Texas this Christmas!)
Becky and the girls playing in the leftover snow
Aunt Shell, Kristin, Rissy, Becky and me competing in our gingerbread house contest - which Aunt Shelley won. :)
It snowed again!!!! (Kristin, Becky and their snowman)
January 2010
-FINALLY mailed out my Christmas cards!! Only a month late...and without a newsletter!!! Maybe next year I'll get it together... :)
-Spent New Year's Eve and New Year's Day at Aunt Shelley and Uncle Jim's. Happy New Year!!!!!
Uncle Jim's New Year's Eve snacks
"Can I haz sum dinners pleeze?" -Lolcatz!-
-Picked up Jason's sisters Danielle and Joanna from the airport and brought them down to San Antonio for a week (their brother Michael flew them out for their Christmas present). I'll be driving them back up in a couple of days.
Me and the kids at the commissary while Jason and his sisters go to a movie (I figured out that it is much easier to grocery shop when you cram all your kiddies into one cart). :)
At the bookstore after church - I was actually able to read through some books while the girls were entertained by they're crazy aunts! :)
And Caleb is happy no matter where he is! He's such a happy little boy!!!
So that's it for now! I'm tired and I want to go to bed!!!! I know there wasn't much detail as far as the writing goes, but I made up for it with an insane amount of pictures...which took FOREVER to upload! Yikes!
I'm really hoping to get on here more frequently, but...I've said that in the past sooooo.... We'll see! :) Hope everyone had a great Christmas and a very happy new year!!!!!
