A WHIRLWIND VISIT THROUGH...TEXAS?!

The cousins playing

Andy holding his head up for the first time

In TX we went from drought to drowning! It rained for a week straight. The guys went on several paintball wars with a group of 7 guys, while the girls went on "arrands" taking mom along in a broken arm & ankle-- what a trooper!

For all those who don't know, mom broke her ankle while carrying a computer at a garage sale at Mary's school. Found out at the Dr.'s that she woudn't be getting that pretty pink cast she dreampt about... she'd be going in for surgery to put in some screws and a bar. When coming home (after being discharged from the hospital) with a walker, almost to her front door, the walker lost it's footing and she went down, breaking her arm.
-And she got her perty cast! :)

Who knew helping the disabled would be so much fun and entertaining? Mom has climbed mountains from where she started out-

ok, just stairs for now- on her knees and elbos. Coming down is easier with Aunt Patty's help sliding down the stairs... on the other hand, nothing is really EASY with Aunt Patty around. ;) J/k!

Anyway, here are some other pics of our trip:

We went to the park

(Anya is in the baby swing &

Alaina is pushing her baby in the swing)

For Independance Day we had a BBQ, went to see movies (we split up into 3 different movies), and were sorely dissappointed by the array of withery fireworks

But, to make up for the evening, we had a half-naked baby performance... accompanied by a very helpful cousin- Abby!

Then, eventually, we did have to come home... so here are some pictures of our return:

A Big Texas sky!

Mike on his Harley

Lets see that again shall we?...

We took Mary back to camp, so we let her drive back to her dorm...

notice I'm sitting in the back

We finally arrive home:

The Olympian

Its hard to believe that after an eveing like this, Andy slept for 11 hours straight through the next day! Hmm....

INCOMING!!

I've been hearing things from certain Bloggers having what they call "SoCal Fun", but a little more torward the southern middle of the US, they don't have cool names for fun so they just call it Texas, which is where our little 5-membered family will be in 2 weeks! But, we will still be able to chime in with this fun since we got orders for San Diego! Mike will be attached to the USS Princeton (CG-59) sometime between December and January. We are DEFINATELY looking forward to our new duty station, close to family, and I've heard some enticing news about free dirt bike rides that are about 3 hours away! ;)

One Step Closer for Andy...

Last night, Mike & I got home from my parents verrrry late (that's NEVER happened before!) and I put Andy in his crib for the night. Well, I just stood there and watched him-- he didn't seem tired or anything. He just listened and watched his mobile while trying to suck on his thumb, when he started to push himself towards his thumb (I guess to get a better grip). I called out to Mike to come, and we stood there watching as this might be the moment he first rolls over (on purpose anyway)!! But no sooner did he ALMOST make it all the way over, he retracted his attempt as if to say, "Nah, not right now- that was far enough."

Oh well, maybe we'll catch him in the act another time! :)

Grandpa H & Andy