Goings on around here!

I don't really have a specific thing to write about this time, just what's been going on around here. Marshall started Mother's day out last month and it's been awesome for both of us.  He goes two days a week and sometimes is so excited to be there and other times not so much, but he always has fun and in a great mood when I pick him up.  It's been nice for me to do house work, rest, or have lunch with friends.  It will also be a good time for me and the new baby girl to have time together once she gets here.

Nick's dad came into town three weeks ago for a family visit.  He hadn't seen Marshall since Tom and Jess' wedding in June 2009 so I know he was excited to see him.  We had a few visits at Tom and Jess' house and at our house.  Marshall now sees pictures of him and says "Papa," and when he asks about grammy he always asks about papa now.  We were sad to see him leave and hopefully we will see him sooner rather than later.  Grammy is still here and is hoping to go back home this month.  Marshall has really taken to her and is stuck on her when she is here.  He always wants to know where she is and wants her to do everything with him.  It's going to be hard for all of us when she leaves, but she will hopefully be back in March when the baby is due.

Marshall is getting so big and starting to do and say more stuff.  He absolutely loves sandy and skippy and asks about them first thing in the morning before he even gets out of bed.  He is dancing all the time, especially to the fridge farm, certain commercials, jack's big music show, and a snowman that sings christmas songs.  He is ALL BOY and spends a lot of time pushing cars, toys, chairs, and anything that is pushable around the house.  Even though I say he is all boy, he is somewhat fascinated with my shoes and will wear them around the house.  It's really funny, but his daddy isn't too excited about it.  He still loves it outside and when the weather is nice we venture out to get into all sorts of trouble.

Last weekend Marshall and I went down to Friendswood to watch Tricia while my sister was partying it up in Vegas.  We went to a great part and had some fun times with Tricia and Paige.  That Saturday we went to the zoo for the members only preview of the new African Forest.  It was amazing and Marshall loved the chimpanzees and of course the giraffes.  Marshall and I went to see Santa Claus yesterday and he was super excited when he saw him, but once I put him in his lap he lost it and the picture is priceless.  enjoy!

Marshall showing his belly button

Marshall playing with Skippy

Grammy, Grandpa, Marshall and Leah

Marshall and Grandpa

family picture

Marshall wearing two of my heels and walking like a pro

A day at the park

Just went down a big boy slide!

Us at the zoo

Marshall and Santa

Washington DC trip

Marshall and I joined Allison a few weekends ago to see Meagan and Tatum in Warrenton, Virginia.  We left on Thursday afternoon and Marshall did really well on the plane.  I was so nervous that he would disturb everyone on the plane with his loud whining, but luckily he didn't.  He slept for a bit and then we just kept him entertained with books and movies and food.  We got to DC around 8:00 but didn't get to Meagan's house until almost 11:00 because we got stuck in traffic.  Meagan was a wonderful host with rooms all ready for both Allison and myself and Marshall.  We got up the next morning, got ready, and drove into DC for lunch at a great mexican restaurant.  Funny that we went to a mexican restaurant since we are from Texas, but it was really good.  Afterwards we headed over to the National Zoo.  It was a bit chilly but nothing a few layers of clothing couldn't solve.  The coolest thing at the zoo for me were the panda bears and the small mammal house.  The kids seemed to really enjoy themselves, especially since they both fell asleep on the way home.  The next day we headed back into DC to go to the Smithsonian American History Museum.  It was a great museum with awesome exhibits and I definitely can't wait to go back and visit other Smithsonian museums.  Brian, Meagan's husband, picked the kids up around 3:00 and took them home, played, fed them, bathed them, and put them to bed . . . what an awesome and brave thing he did and we really appreciated it.  We took advantage of the kid free time to visit some monuments and have a nice dinner with dessert and everything.  The next day we drove into Fairfax to visit the mall and get Meagan some maternity clothes and Tatum some birthday presents.  When we got back Tatum opened her dress up clothes we got her and I think Marshall liked them more but eventually both of them were running around the house in high heeled shoes.  We were very sad to leave but it was nice to get back home to some warm weather and see Nick and the puppies.

The Panda bear was the coolest thing!!

Tatum trying to hold Marshall's hand

Already getting kisses from girls!

Marshall with an old train

Marshall and me at the Smithsonian

Allison and me with the Lincoln memorial in the background

Me with the Washington monument

Meagan and me at the Lincoln memorial (the status is so much bigger in person)

Tatum and Marshall running in their heels

It looks like Marshall stole Tatum's red Snow White shoes and she is MAD!!



Wings Over Houston Air Show

Nick, Marshall, and I went down to Ellington field on Sunday for the air show.  Marshall loves looking at  airplanes in our back yard so much that we figured he would really enjoy all the airplanes at the show.  We got there around 10:30 and didn't leave until 3:00, so needless to say we all had fun.  Marshall isn't one of those kids that nicely holds his mommy's hand and stays close to me, so we kept him in his stroller most of the day and he did awesome.  We got to see really big planes, helicopters, small planes, and jets all flying in the sky.  Marshall spent the majority of the day pointing at the sky intrigued by it all.  When the jets fly by they are super loud, so thankfully Nick brought hearing protection with us and Marshall wore it like a champ.  Marshall's favorite part was when the small planes did all their acrobatic moves in the sky with trails of smoke.  My favorite part was the Pearl Harbor reenactment and I think Nick's favorite parts were the jets.  After lunch around 1:00 Marshall passed out for about 30 minutes, which was just enough to refuel him for the rest of the day.  We all had so much fun and will definitely make this a yearly thing!

Pearl Harbor reenactment

Pumpkin Patch

We met Grammy, Thomas, Jess, and Leah at a pretty cool place yesterday called Spring Creek Growers.  It's a Christmas tree farm but they have fall fun days and pumpkin patch in October.  It wasn't too crowded when we got there so it was really nice for Marshall since all he wanted to do was run around everywhere.  He LOVED the pumpkins and was just too excited to sit still for pictures.  Leah, on the other hand did awesome posing for pictures and she seemed to have fun.  With the awesome weather we have had lately we kind of expected for it to be nice, but it got pretty hot real fast.  We saw some chickens, rabbits, a goat and a pig, rode on a hay ride, climbed up hay piles, played in a 3 story tree house, and ran through a corn maze.  We had lots of fun and will definitely go back next year.  Enjoy the pics even though Marshall isn't smiling in any of them!

Our week at Nana and Pa's

Marshall and I went to my parent's house last week and had a great time.  The weather was awesome and we spent the majority of the time outside exploring the yard, playing with the dogs, feeding the ducks, and just running around.  My niece, Jacobi, goes to school about 20 minutes away so I was able to sneak away to watch her play and win her varsity volleyball game.  I also was able to get away on Wednesday to go visit JaNan and her beautiful new baby Stella.  Unfortunately, I did not take any pictures of that visit, but she is a precious little baby and the Straznicky family is very blessed.  On Thursday Nana, Pa, Marshall and I went to the East Texas County Fair.  We got to eat cotton candy, drink a home made rootbeer float, feed some animals, check out baby chickens, play some games, win a prize and ride one ride.  We were all pooped afterwards and Marshall went to bed super early that night.  My Uncle Richard and Aunt Barbara came in town on Saturday from North Carolina and we all ventured out to Canton.  Lots of fun stuff but not really Marshall's idea of fun, but he was a trooper.  We had a nice lunch at my Aunt Lynda's house on Sunday and got to visit with Belinda, Jacobi, and Jaclyn that night.  On Monday, Marshall and I went to the zoo.  It was a wonderful day, not crowded at all and it was a great way to end out week.  Marshall and I were very happy to get home to Nick and the dogs, but we will definitely miss Nana and Pa.

Riding the mower with Pa

He wouldn't let go of this balloon the whole time, daddy would be proud!

We got to pick a large prize, he picked a brown bear

Cotton Candy!!!

What a happy face after the fair

Loves to give kisses!

Jaclyn gave him a whole egg to eat and he loved it

both bellies, 6 weeks apart

He loved this tiger