a full house...

The kids spent Memorial day weekend with us in our new home. It was a lot of fun to have a full house. A five bedroom house seems a little crazy when it is just Patrick and I but when the kids are all here is is just right. We spent most of our time here in our neighborhood enjoying each others company and the community amenities. Kate plunked on Patrick's new bass. Oliver and I took a nice walk and saw the fountains, turtles, fish and water fowl while Patrick took the "big" kids to a ball game.

We spent a lot of time at the pool.

It was a joy to watch Oliver play. He loves cars and trains and when he found the matchbox cars he spent a long long time looking over each and every car and lining them up. He is getting so big.
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He even spent a little time playing guitars with Grandpa.

Christy and Ian and Oliver, Oh My...

Ian and Christy and Oliver came to visit over the long New Year's weekend. I was in heaven. Our quiet little apartment was turned upside down and there were toys everywhere! It was wonderful. We spent one afternoon at the Houston Zoo , where Oliver was much more interested in running and exploring everything but the animals.

 After driving around for a while on Friday, showing the kids were Patrick works, a little of downtown and an area of Sugarland we are interested in, we let Oliver run off some energy at Memorial Park.

Christy and Ian have purchased cameras of their own. Oliver is going to be a much photographed young man.

Of course there were Christmas gifts to be played with. When Ian was a toddler a toy very similar to the one with the balls was his favorite. What kind of Grandparents would we be if we didn't spoil him just a little?

Santa brought Oliver a toy kitchen so I made him some felt food to play with. A very fun, easy project. I will be making more.

I really enjoyed have Ian and Christy and the baby visit. It was nice to share what little we know about Houston to them and to sit and chat in the evenings. Not having family here is the hardest part.