Our Pear Blossoms

Summer Activities

2011-08-30T14:58:00.000-05:00

Summer is over, and I am a little nostalgic for it. The kids went to camps, swimming and art classes. And many play-dates. We did very little beach and pool going since heat and too much driving are very uncomfortable for a pregnant woman like me. It was not the usual summer we have with once a week beach and many more pool trips, but I think it was still fun. We also worked on variety of workbooks and reading which were great for Samuel. His reading and basic math skills have greatly improved. Esther also became interested in work books and always had to work along with Samuel. The two also played well together. No wonder Esther is so lonely without her brother around. I was able to fit a few home projects since we have a baby on the way. It was a productive summer, but I think I started too many project which will not be finished for a year or so. I should have been more realistic.

We also went to a fun family reunion in New Braunfels which was super fun for the kids and very relaxing for me. They floated down the river a couple of times a day with their dad, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and a couple of super cute baby cousins. I stayed in our hotel room and watched movies, worked on pictures, or read. I will post some pictures of the reunion soon.

Here is a picture of Esther having done her favorite puzzle over again. She loves doing puzzles, and I never have to ask her to do any of them.

This is before the kids went to bed and I had to have this moment captured.

Samuel also lost his two top front teeth! (Still as cute as a button.)

The one time I took the kids to the pool. :(

First Day of School

2011-08-29T20:57:00.002-05:00

The first day of school for us was last Monday. Samuel expected it with great anticipation. So far he is still excited, but he did say that school is boring. I really hope that after all the initial review of procedures of a brand new school, things pick up and he actually learns something. Esther's preschool does not start until next week, and she has been very lonely without Samuel. She watches the clock and asks constantly if it is time to go pick up Sam. Luckily she started her gymnastics, so at least on Monday mornings she has something fun that she is doing. I will have to make sure to schedule plenty of play dates for her. I am not fun to hang out with these days. I am way too pregnant.

Esther loves gymnastics. Today they tried headstands and handstands. She has been practicing at home a whole lot. We discovered that she can stand on her head for a really long time. Her brother on the other hand can barely last a few seconds. It is nice that there is at least one thing that she is better at physically than Samuel. He is very athletic, which has not been the case with Esther. Here are some pictures.

We'll be five

2011-07-25T22:51:00.001-05:00

It's been so long since I actually posted something substantial. So, today is the day to announce officially to the whole world, outside of our little world of family and friends, that we are excitedly expecting our third child. A baby girl will join us in September. We are very blessed and happy that we are given another soul to love and bring up. Well, there is no guarantee that we won't mess it up some along the way, but isn't that what parenting is about anyway? You learn as you go and vow to not make any of the mistakes your own parents made... And then you find yourself making mistakes that make your parents look like saints. You hold your head in your palms and wonder how you got on this road anyway! Oh, well... Once our children are parents themselves, they will forgive us and will be confessing to us with tearful eyes how they just messed up their own kid by doing this or that... And the circle of life goes on...

We think we have a name. It was hard this time since we've been giving our children biblical names of people with exemplary lives. We thought it nice for the children to have a story to go to and be reminded of what these people stood for. It seems that there are so many boy names with great stories, but it is much harder to find a name for a girl. The name does not only have to have a good story, but it should neither sound too strange, nor should it be so common that it is already taken by a family member or a close friend. So, it is hard to match "Esther". But we think we've found one that is just as meaningful and rare. Stay tuned to find out what it will be.

Just because....

2011-06-02T23:03:00.000-05:00

Saturday or Sunday Mornings

2011-04-07T14:46:00.001-05:00

Usually on Sunday mornings, since we don't go to church until 1:30 pm this year, or on Saturday mornings when we have no baseball game or a church project, I turn soft and make pancakes or crepes for the kids. They, of course, always have to help. And they still fit in one chair. I have suggested two chairs, but that is apparently not close enough to the action. This was taken at the end of January of 2011. I can't be grateful enough for cameras that capture precious moments like this, which we'd probably forget and never remember.

Disclaimer: I have nothing to do with the way they dress anymore. I have resigned to the fact that they have their own style. Sometimes, I just have to close my eyes when we leave the house. I hope that this will be the first and last battle I ever loose... :)

Solution to slide show viewing

2011-03-28T13:40:00.000-05:00

While reading another blog, I noticed that they had a video uploaded through YouTube. It looked great, so I decided to try and see if I can get a better result with our Rodeo Slide Show using YouTube. Lo and behold, the result was great. The quality is almost incomparable. I erased the old version and put the newer better one. I hope you give it another try.

Quality of Rodeo Clip

2011-03-20T22:17:00.000-05:00

It is so unfortunate that the video does not look as good when played on the blog. I wish you can see it on my computer. If any of you know any tricks about making my little slide show appear nicer when played in a browser, please do share by all means.

Rodeo Clip

2011-03-19T19:34:00.002-05:00

The song for this slide show is by Rodney Atkins called "Watching You". I am not much of a country fan, so I had not heard this song before I started looking for a fitting song for our Rodeo pictures . It was hard to find a song that was not about drinking, partying, or heartbreaking, but once I heard this one, it fit very well. I hope you like it too.

Our Day at the Rodeo

2011-03-13T20:49:00.015-05:00

On Friday our whole family went to the RODEO! It was a much anticipated day by the kids and completely exploited by me to get them to do their chores, reading, and piano playing. The thought of not going to the Rodeo was so unbearable to them that I did not have to repeat my self once. It was a charm!

The first thing we did was the Mutton Bustin' Competition. Samuel was just old enough and light enough to qualify. What is Mutton Bustin? I still remember the first time I saw this competition, and I would describe my feelings as a combination of disgust and laughter. But the longer one lives in our neck of the woods, the more normal of an activity it becomes. If your kid is between the ages of 4 and 6, and weighs under 60 lbs, he or she should be at the Mutton Bustin'. A kid gets on the back of a sheep, the sheep is let loose, and the kid tries to hold on as long as possible. It is harder than it looks. Samuel was a little disappointed that he did not win first place, but he surely did behave like a winner after his spectacular fall. Here is our documentation of this great event:

Creative Outfit

2011-03-10T20:36:00.004-06:00

Esther looked so creatively dressed up (notice the robe belt used as a scarf and the hood over the baseball hat). I wanted to take a picture just of her, but Samuel (aka Mr. Hollywood) had to have his picture taken also. :) They are so funny.....!!!

Baseball Season

2011-03-08T17:07:00.005-06:00

Baseball (technically T-ball for us, because of Samuel's age group) has started for our family. This year Samuel will be playing on the "Athletics". This is fun for all of us, except all the driving I need to do to get him to practice and games, which is usually about three times a week. However, we all love it, and I am actually starting to appreciate this great American game. It is just wonderful to be in the outdoors away from all electronic and modern. Esther and I bring a blanket, snacks, some toys, and we are good. It is a great time for me to slow down and enjoy the moment.

Samuel plays at the Dad's Club in Pearland. It is an incredibly well run organization and only by volunteers. I can't remember how many teams they have but it is an outrageous number. They have about twenty-four-hundred children playing this year and in spite of that everything runs as smoothly as clockwork. We were very impressed last year and that is why we are back.

Rodeo and Spring

2011-03-08T14:41:00.007-06:00

This is the best weather in the year here-early spring. The temperatures are in the low 70s (20s in C), and for most of this time we have the Houston RODEO. Every time we drive by the Reliant Stadium the kids ask when is the Rodeo coming again. When March came they knew that they would be going to the Rodeo. It is a great place to bring children. There are carnival rides, farm animal exhibits, of course all the rodeo competitions, and a concert every night. And some great BBQ to be had! And anything fried you can imagine, from which we steer away. How about fried butter, or a fried pickle? Did you know that just about anything can be fried!? There are also the funnel cakes, and cotton candy and any other fun food that you might have eaten as much as you wanted when you were a kid! This is one of those times when I love being a parent. The looks of happiness, pure joy, and marvel in our children's eyes are constant. They are priceless. We also dress up for the occasion. Here is Esther in her best cowgirl outfit, well, her version.

Fun in the backyard

2011-03-05T13:15:00.008-06:00

We had a beautiful week in the 70s all week last week, and Esther and I took advantage of it. We lay a blanket in the backyard and just lay there enjoying the dry and warm air. Well, I did more of that, and she did more of this:

...

2011-03-05T12:17:00.001-06:00

Our little Ballerina

2011-03-05T11:27:00.006-06:00

Since last September Esther has been taking ballet and loves it. Every Friday morning we put on her ballet clothes, and she is ready to dance all day. Her teacher Tricia is great and can keep six or seven three-year olds engaged and wanting to keep coming.

Samuel in the Local Newspaper

2011-01-10T21:48:00.002-06:00

A week before Thanksgiving of 2010, Samuel's Kindergarten class was selected to be interviewed by a reporter from the local newspaper - Houston Chronicle. Here is a link to the newspaper article. You'll get a good giggle out of this. Samuel's answer is toward the very end. He could not have said it better!

Houston Chronicle Article

He Will Be Six

2010-11-17T23:54:00.011-06:00

In a week Samuel will be six years old. He has grown up so much this past year. He loves school, his teacher, and is very eager to do all the extra homework that I give him, of which he thinks is the required school homework. Often, Esther would want "to do homework" with him. They sit together at their little table and draw, write, scribble in Esther's case, do mazes, and whatever they feel like doing.

Samuel's favorite thing to do lately is drawing, and he creates some fun things. He chooses interesting and bright but appropriate colors. His latest subjects are fire breathing dragons, himself using a variety of weapons, and our family. I will take some pictures and post them one of these days.

He also says many thought provoking things, such as: "Mommy, you are not the leader, Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are." You might guess when he might have said something like this. Also he asks: "Why are you always telling us what to do? Why can't the kids decide?" He also says sweet things like: "Mommy taught me that we have a beautiful world created for us, so that we can be happy." I don't remember when I said this, but I'll take the credit for it!

His teacher says that he is a "Super Kid". When I have lunch with him on Thursdays, I can tell that he is well liked by teachers and students. We hope he continues to be for the rest of his school and college days, and life in general. We are so proud of our boy!

2010-10-19T21:31:00.003-05:00

These two pumpkins demanded that they share a room. The plan was different, but when we were setting up Esther's bed, both of them said that they had to be in the same room. This actually solved many sleeping issues. Samuel was afraid of the dark, and Esther would scream in the middle of the night if a thunderstorm started. They would come to our bed, and then nobody would get any sleep. Now they keep each other company and rarely visit our bed in the middle of the night, which we greatly appreciate. Sometimes we'll find them sleeping in the same bed, and since Esther always falls asleep after Samuel, we'd ask her why she is sleeping in Samuel's bed and she'd say: "Samuel needs me..." What does one say to that?! I have to admit after she's completely asleep I move her so that she can get a better sleep. The room in which she slept while she was a baby was the coldest in the house, because of our crazy air-conditioning. She now likes it cold while she sleeps, and she never uses her covers. I wonder if she will outgrow this...

Exploring....?

2010-10-13T15:04:00.003-05:00

I know that they were playing some exploring game, but I am so sorry that I don't remember what. We were just about ready to get in the car, and I saw how fun and cute they looked with their matching goggles. I am glad I took the picture. At least we have a visual memory, if nothing else.

2010-10-01T21:30:00.004-05:00

Just had to share. Central Park a week ago...

Miller Outdoor Theater pictures

2010-07-21T17:32:00.022-05:00

Before we went to the Miller Outdoor Theater today to see "The Tortuous and the Hare", we made a quick stop at the Zoo. We did not have time to see much, but we did get to the carousel. Samuel is as free as a bird going round and round, but Esther had to be with me and sit on a bench. She'd climb a tree and hang from it, but the carousel is too much for her!

Being at the outdoor theater was as hot as expected since it is in Houston, but thankfully, some nice friends had saved us seats closer to the front where we could feel a bit of the air-conditioned air. This play unfortunately was not as
good as last time's "Pinoccio", but the kids still had fun. Samuel thought it was funny.

Here are some pictures I took after, just for fun. Can you guess which child loves the camera and which can't stand to have another picture taken?

He is always fun and busy and happy...

2010-05-05T21:57:00.004-05:00

I saw this picture while I was looking for some other ones. This is from last January. I just can't believe that our little fun boy will be starting school this Fall and nothing will ever be the same...

In the Backyard

2010-05-03T22:04:00.007-05:00

We had the longest and most beautiful spring since we have lived here. Usually, the hot and humid days arrive at the end of March and are here to stay till late October. This year however, they did not get here until May 1st. The kids had so much fun playing outside in the cool and fresh afternoons. A few weeks back while doing yard duties Richard found a nest in the rose bush on the side of our house with a bird in it. It did not even blink when we got close to it to look and take pictures. It nested for three weeks or so and just this Saturday, we saw a little birdie which was ready to leave the nest. This is not the first time we have had a nest in our back yard. We usually get one or two nests in our tomato plants. But we never had one that has allowed us to get so close to it and take pictures. This diligent and brave bird was there every day for three weeks, and Samuel even announced it to be officially part of our family :).

Samuel playing Baseball

2010-04-19T15:39:00.012-05:00

This year we signed up Samuel for what he's been playing intensely in our backyard for a couple of years now-baseball. He plays at the Dad's Club here in Pearland and his team is The Blue Jays. It has been fun for all of us. I thought it was going to be like his soccer which he played for two seasons. With all due respect to soccer fans, including my own family, soccer has never been exciting to me and apparently neither to my son. Richard, as a dedicated and obliging dad coached his team both seasons, but Samuel never really got into the game. The best thing Samuel liked about it was that his dad was the coach. To be fair to soccer, Samuel might have not been ready age-wise yet. Going to his baseball games now has been a very different experience. This is serious ball playing. They even keep score! And it is FUN for me too, which is a good thing since I have to drive him to the ball park three times a week! He has at least one game a week, and then practices the other days. Samuel is one of three five year-old boys and the other nine are six years old. They all have a season or two behind their backs. He has a pretty steep learning curve since all he knew how to do was hit the ball. He did not know the rules of playing on a team and his catching needs some work. However, he is improving speedily and is having tons of fun doing it. Here are some photos: (Note the smile on his face in the last picture where he had just steped on the home plate seconds before the ball was passed to the kid guarding home base.)

2nd Day

2010-03-12T22:21:00.012-06:00

The first day of our trip we drove for twelve hours only through Texas, for those of you who don't have an idea of how sweeping this state is. The second day of driving we crossed New Mexico, Arizona, and finally reached our destination in California. The speed limit for most of our trip was 80 mi/h, which was a little unnerving at the beginning. I had forgotten how low our speed limits in Houston are. Driving on an inner city highway faster than 70 mi/h was scary to me. I don't think that one person in CA drove below 85.

The uneventful second day was only marked by the fact that we had to stop at three immigration checkpoints in NM and AZ. We were asked if all people in the vehicle were American Citizens, and then we were sent on our merry way. We wondered how those stops were useful, since they never asked for any identification. Just took my word for it. They certainly slowed us down and extended our driving time with ah hour and a half. It was somewhat reminiscent to crossing borders in Europe, but not really. If you have no legit papers, you ain't going anywhere! We saw our tax dollars in action - allocated to questionable highway patrols.

Here are some more pictures of the most exciting parts of our drive- statue of a dinosaur, cacti, more cacti, small bushes, no bushes at all...and our little Esther trying to listen to a movie.

1st Day

2010-03-05T13:57:00.008-06:00

Last month, Feb the 13th through the 21st, we drove to California in our new car. We thought it was the right time to take our five year old Samuel and two and a half year old Esther to Disneyland, and while in the area also to Legoland. I visited Disneyland for the first time while a freshman in college. It was fun, new, and exciting, but the whole time I thought it would be even better to bring my own children here one day. I could not have been more right about something in my life. The kids had no real idea of where exactly they were going. Samuel knew he would be riding roller coasters and Esther would see Miki's sister, Mini. (We thought appropriate not to correct her as to the true nature of their relationship.) But unless one has been to Disneyland, one does not have an idea of how grand and amazing this place is.

We had a great trip! We stayed with Richard's aunts in Carlsbad, which is an hour drive to Disneyland, so our trip was on the less expensive side. We also enjoy Chris & Patrice's company which contributed to the greatness of our trip.

The kids did amazingly well in the car. Samuel was occupied watching movies most of the time. For him watching more than one movie a day is a treat within itself. Esther watched here and there, but most of the time she looked at books, colored, cut her and her baby doll's hair, put sticky notes all over her seat and car door, and snacked on pretzels and Ann's bunnies a lot! Richard and I drove, read, talked, listened to XM radio, and caught up on some sleep. For us two, the drive was a much awaited quite time, which is a complete luxury these days. With little kids, driving instead of flying is not as bad as it might sound. We did not seem rushed or agitated, or worried about the unpredictability of flights these days. We did it all at our own pace, and we stopped to eat and walk whenever we needed.

It took us exactly 24 hours of driving. We stopped half way to lodge for the night. Aside from Esther cutting her own hair, and I annoying Richard with CNN and Oprah Radio, we have no complaints.

These are some of the pictures I took the first day of the vast land that lies between Texas and California. Note: Most were taken while the car was in motion.

Finally!

2010-03-03T16:10:00.004-06:00

Esther finally looked into the camera and smiled! I have waited for this moment since about two years ago. Unlike Samuel, she's been camera shy. I hope this is the beginning of pictures full of open eyes!!!

A week ago we returned from Disneyland, so I'll have many pictures posted soon.

Tutu

2010-01-27T17:18:00.003-06:00

We have a girly girl, and I love it!

Esther's first braids

2010-01-26T22:10:00.005-06:00

Esther's fashion sense

2010-01-26T21:29:00.006-06:00

This is what happens when Esther decides to dress herself. The "water shirt", as she calls it, was handpicked by her from the hunting section of a sporting goods store. And needless to say, it is her absolute favorite shirt. And the bandanna and pants, I have to admit, I bought at a sale before she was even born. I wish I had known better. When this girl makes up her mind about what to wear, there is not much I can do, unless I want to take a screaming child grocery shopping with me. I have learned my lesson-never buy anything that I would not like seeing her wear and most of all stop taking her to clothing stores with me. I hope I remember this when she is a teenager too.

Give it up, please... or not

2010-01-26T20:45:00.007-06:00

Samuel is still in denial that his Dalmatian Halloween costume from when he was two years old does not fit. What do you think? He is pretty happy wearing it around even if he can't button it in the back! We'll give this one up.

Seagulls

2010-01-26T15:14:00.009-06:00

Two days ago the kids and I were coming home from our daily outing and saw hundreds of birds swarming in the sky near the entrance of our neighborhood. We (I) decided to get a closer look and drove toward the area where they kept circling. Luckily I had my camera and was able to take a few pictures. The kids were fascinated! The birds were seagulls. We hear and see them often in our neighborhood but rarely so many of them in one place. What is even more interesting is that we are about an hour away from the closest beach and the lake where they gathered is a man-made lake. On top of that we saw a rainbow in one of the fountains of the lake. Thanks to days like these suburbia does not look so bleak.

Here they are the pics:
The rainbow:

The kids:

Christmas Eve

2010-01-17T14:53:00.013-06:00

We are still figuring out what our Christmas traditions will be. As of now we are borrowing one of Richard's family's traditions, which is opening pajamas on Christmas Eve sent from his Grandma Ivy Brown. It is a wonderful tradition. It seems that children everywhere have a special connection with their pajamas. At least mine do. They don't get excited much about clothing, at least not yet, but when it comes to pajamas, they have an opinion. This year's pajamas were the best yet. Samuel received "Superman" pajamas with a cape! He is crazy about heroes and identifies especially with the flying ones. Esther received giraffe printed pajamas which she calls"zebra". This was too cute for us to correct.

Thank you Great Grandma Brown! We love you and our pajamas! Here are some pics.

This is what the kids were to find when they woke up.

Christmas Morning

2010-01-05T16:11:00.008-06:00

This might have been our most magical Christmas yet, since both children get so excited about Santa Clause ( best white lie we'll ever tell). Samuel, punctually at 7:00 am, came running to our bedroom, put his face an inch away from mine and said: "Mommy, Santa Clause came down through the chimney, filled up our stockings, tiptoed over to the Christmas tree, put our gifts down and then left through the chimney. Come!" And that was the beginning of wild unwrapping, performed by Samuel and Esther, and tenacious building performed by Richard. I performed my duties about a month ago. Then I just sat back and took pictures. :)

Accidentally captured expression
The child with a sweet tooth unwrapping a chocolate rain deer.
Best mess ever!Star Wars First EncountersThe "sweet tooth child" eating Bulgarian Chocolate The only gun allowed-A marshmellow GunThe tenacious building which went on for about four hours...

The Making of Memories

2009-12-19T23:43:00.005-06:00

Around Thanksgiving I made eight pies, for various occasions, from scratch--roasting the pumpkins, rolling the crusts, etc. They taste great, and thus all the hard work is worth it. And, I have to admit, I love making them. It brings back memories of home. I used to watch my grandma make perfect paper-thin crusts for her pies. She rolled the dough so effortlessly and never measured anything. She'd put this and that and her magic worked every single time! Also, there is nothing like the smell of roasting pumpkins. When I was a kid one of my favorite treats in the late cold fall was roasted pumpkin cubes covered with caramelized sugar and walnuts.
Every time I made the pies, and the kids were around, they had to come help. Needless to say, they love pumpkin pie. Esther would sit on the counter holding the handle on the mixer bowl, watch, and repeat smilingly "pumpkin pie" for the whole time I do the filling. Samuel would want to actually put ingredients in. He is very good at following instructions when helping me or Richard in the kitchen. The kitchen is the one place he does not question, just does. We had lots of fun!

Christmas has begun...

2009-12-16T16:41:00.004-06:00

Here are the first gifts for this Christmas. Grandma & Grandpa had given us a package of goodies that we'd use together as a family (aprons, pillow cases and nativity scene-all homemade, Christmas books and cookie cutters) . On the "to do list" now: Gingerbread and Sugar cookies. How fun! Thank you, Gary and Lora Lee!

Christmas is done...I think...

2009-12-16T15:49:00.004-06:00

Last Monday we decorated our Christmas tree, hung all other decorations, and put out all of our Christmas books. After four trips to the post office, all gifts and cards have been sent, and now I can enjoy the season and pay attention finally to my fmaily. This is Esther's first "conscious" Christmas, since she is two, and is loving every bit of it. But most of all-the lights. She turns the tree lights on every morning and asks me to turn on the lights outlining the front of the house every time we return home. It's been a little challenging explaining to a toddler that we turn them on only in the evening. Samuel calls our house "The Gingerbread" house. I am not sure where that comes from, but I LOVE it.

It was fun for me...

2009-12-14T22:47:00.009-06:00

My poor kids have been my models for ever, but this time I really pushed their limits. I had them pose for me again and again in my home-made studio. Samuel is always flattered to have his picture taken, but Esther hardly ever looks in the camera when I take her picture. Here they are both doing the opposite of what they usually do. After an hour and this picture I figured it's time to give them a break. :)

"Prelude"

2009-07-31T14:53:00.006-05:00

At the beginning of this year I took the children to a music class which was recommended to me by a neighbor. "Prelude" is taught by Ana Trevino Godfrey at the "The Motherhood Center" in Houston. I did not know much about it, but I was looking for a new music class for Esther since the teacher we liked at the Gymboree music class left. All I knew about this class was that my friend had a great experience, and it was a place where siblings were welcome. So I took the two kids and hoped for the best. And didn't we find the best?! When Ana, the teacher, started singing, my heart just melted. Her voice was beautiful and powerful. Later I found out that she is a professionally trained opera singer and sings with the Houston Opera. She also was finishing her PHD in Music. And was a mother of two. She was great with the tiny students. She remembered everyone's name from the start. We never had to wear name tags.

Samuel was not sure about the class at first since most of the kids there were much younger than he was. The atmosphere was also a little too calm for him. Sometimes he'd just start running and jumping, and Ana encouraged him and laughed and danced with him. He definitely enjoyed the drum portion of the class. I am sure the people on the street could hear Samuel hitting the African drum inside the studio.

Esther was completely taken by everything associated with the class-the singing, the music, the dancing, the instruments... That's why after the six week class session was over, I took just her for another four week session.

"Prelude" also included two half an hour concerts with professional musicians. The kids were allowed to dance around and sing along. At the first concert we heard a quartet. The first violin was Ana's husband who is a professional violin performer. Ana sang an aria from Rigoletto for us with her 9 month old baby-boy asleep on her shoulder. It was great! At the second concert Ana asked the parents not to allow the children to touch the baroque instruments the musicians were playing, since they were older than our country! We heard a harpsichord, a baroque violin, and a baroque cello. I wish the kids were older to really appreciate this great opportunity.

Our last class was in May, but we still listen to the music in the car and at home, and the kids still sing along . The program that "Prelude" uses is called "Music Together", and I strongly recommend it. It is a great way to have fun with music together as a family. It also helps the children develop appreciation for different kinds of music and thus increase their love for music in general. If you don't live in Houston, you can visit their website, and I am sure you'll be able to find a place near you that teaches it.

Morning Glory

2009-07-30T15:57:00.008-05:00

I wish I looked this good when I woke up in the morning.

In the laundry basket fighting over the new blue bottle.

Esther's Love For Summer

2009-07-29T16:15:00.004-05:00

She loves the beach and the pool. She wears her swimsuit all the time, just in case. She wakes up from her naps and asks for her swimsuit (if she has not been sleeping with it) and her dad, since he has come home a little early a couple of times to go to the pool with us. For a couple of weeks the kids are taking swimming lessons, and if I let her she will wear her wet swimsuit after the lesson until it dries on her. It has been so much fun to take the kids to the beach this summer. They both love it. Our beaches are not great, but the kids don't know any better. They are in heaven when their feet are in the warm water and the sand crunches between their toes.

Update On The Blossoms

2009-07-26T21:59:00.011-05:00

Samuel is becoming very attentive and thoughtful of Esther. Recently she had her hand stuck between a wall and an elevator door. It was definitely a scary experience, but luckily not a painful one. Samuel was very scared for her and suggested that we leave Esther at home with daddy next time. Since then Samuel is constantly making sure that Esther does not get hurt and acts very protective of her. In return Esther adores Samuel. She is constantly following him and emulating his actions and words. The kids are also a good influence on each other. Esther calms Samuel with her kind and easy- going demeanor, and Samuel gives her courage and helps her to be adventurous. At the end of the day when the whole house is a mess again, I try to remember how much fun they have had together.

Do You Think We need a Trampoline?!

2009-07-20T00:37:00.004-05:00

Miller Outdoor Theater Picnic

2009-07-20T00:06:00.003-05:00

This Sunday we went again on a picnic to the little hill in front of Miller Outdoor Theater in Herman Park, Houston. This time the weather was great. It was cool (low 90s) and relatively dry. The air above our heads was filled with low flying dragon flies. It looked like there was a storm coming in the distance. We enjoyed our sandwiches and fruit salad and after ward played some Frisbee. This was Esther's first time playing. She had so much fun in spite of her throws reaching only an inch or so in front of her.

We also reminisced about our fun holiday picnics we had with friends in Battery Park when we lived in New York City. Last month it was four years since we moved to Houston, TX. It still feels like it was yesterday...

Moody Gardens on July 3rd

2009-07-19T21:41:00.021-05:00

Daddy (aka Richard) had the Friday before July 4th off, so we wanted to do something together since he's been so busy lately. We went to Moody Gardens on Galveston Island which has many children oriented attractions. It was a hot day-high nighties, so we had planned after seeing a couple of the attractions, to spend most of it at "Palm Beach". Unfortunately the beach area was cramped since so many others had the same idea for spending the holiday. In spite of that, it was still a great day trip.

First, we visited the "Dinosaurs Alive!" exhibit. The dinosaurs were static, but they moved their limbs, necks, mouths, and eyes. It was a little eerie to stand next to a life-like T-Rex who was roaring and staring us with its yellowish eyes. T-Rex was overwhelming even for a dinosaur enthusiast like Samuel. You can tell from his face on the pictures. Esther was completely petrified. She would not let go of her daddy and during the few moments she would sit in her stroller, she did not look amused.

After our Jurassic experience we headed for the more low key Paddlewheel Boat ride. The Colonel Paddlewheel Boat is an authentic replica of an 1800-style Paddlewheeler. It was relaxing and cool on the boat. The kids enjoyed some icecream and Richard and I our almond butter and jelly sandwiches we'd brought from home. That might be the first boat ride that Samuel will actually remember. He has grown so much in his understanding, and his memory is sometimes much better than mine and Richard's together. He, of course, asked many many many questions about the boat, and we did our best at answering them with our limited paddlewheel boat knowledge. ( Boy, we really should have read up on that before hand. )

Our last stop was the beach, and we spend three hours going up and down the water slides. Lucky for Esther we were allowed to have her ride on our laps, so she had a blast!! Samuel's goes without saying. He loves anything that is fast, a little dangerous, and envolves water. It was a great day!

Blue Bell Ice Cream & Bluebonnets

2009-04-27T22:31:00.015-05:00

Last week Richard's aunts from CA visited with us for a couple of days. They wanted to go to the Blue Bell Creamery in Brenham, TX which is about an hour and a half from where we live. It was a beautiful drive through the country side. We were lucky to see the last of the famous Bluebonnets, since spring is almost over. They are "dainty little plants which paint the sandy, rolling hills of coastal and southern Texas with sheets of royal-blue in the early spring". We made the same trip three years ago for Samuel to see them, and now Esther got her turn.

The guided tour of the Blue Bell Creamery was fun, especially for the kids - short and sweet, literally. At the end of our tour we had free ice cream! Now Samuel knows that his favorite kind of ice cream is called Vanilla. Before, if one asked him what his favorite ice cream was, he'd say: "White". I take personal motherly pride that our children are ice cream illiterate.

If you have not heard of Blue Bell ice cream, you probably have not lived in the South. It started in Brenham, TX as a small operation in the early 1900s and today Blue Bell has three factories in three different states. Many people love Blue Bell and every one in Richard's family is loyal to the pale yellow bucket. But for me my loyalties are with Ben & Jerry. They got to me first...

On our way back we stopped at a "tried and true" Texas BBQ place -The Goode Co. Delicious!

It was a Texas day through and through!

Too much subburbia...

2009-04-08T23:31:00.011-05:00

Wild flowers are everywhere. (Well, in the places which have not been treated for weeds). And they are beautiful. Hopefully these pictures do them justice. Samuel and Esther were not as excited as I was about them. Samuel was extremely careful about the ant piles and talked about them continuously. Esther just did not know what to do with so much nature and was overwhelmed...

Dressing up

2009-04-06T22:32:00.005-05:00

Esther loves to wear other people's clothes. She is not picky but often goes for Samuel's since they are closer to her size. Often we'd hear her crying for help somewhere, and it is because she is having a hard time putting on some piece of clothing. Pants are the ones that give her the hardest time. So here are a few shots of her modeling. And one just for fun.

She is WALKING!

2009-03-27T17:29:00.005-05:00

Esther finally started walking voluntarily on her eighteenth month Birthday, a few days before she started going to our Church's nursery on Sundays. I say voluntarily since for the past four months, on occasion, we have gently persuaded her to walk from one parent to the other. She thought that it was a great game and excitedly participated, but rarely ventured to do it on her own. A few weeks ago she figured that walking is not only a game but it can be a another way of moving her body. What a relief! We knew she was capable, she just could not be rushed...

From Pearland, Texas...

2009-03-26T00:53:00.004-05:00

Hi! This is our very first post.

We thought that our extended family, currently spread on three continents, might enjoy seeing how much our blossoms - Samuel & Esther have grown. We hope that our friends from near and far take a peek too. Check out our first slide-show: