Schools out beach trip!

It is so hard to believe it had been 2 years since we had been to the beach till this trip!  With all the smelly seaweed problem Galveston had last year we didn't even go a single time.  Luckily the  beach was perfect this time around.  They were all so happy!

They spent most of the time body boarding and they had a blast.  Even Annie was brave enough to actually do it this year!  And she definitely wins the award for cutest face while doing it!

Owen Reid had no fear of the ocean at all!  We put him down in the sand he crawled right on in.  And then he wanted to eat the sand.  Lots of it.

So the rest of the trip was pretty much figuring out how to keep Owen's sand consumption to a minimum.  That, and trying to keep a hat on his head.  The bucket hat was a major no no.  Check out signor grumpy pants.

We also had our very first visit with the ice cream man ON the beach.  Yup, he drove right onto the beach.  Everything was right with the world for the next five minutes.  I'm pretty sure their is nothing better than splashing in the ocean while you are eating a snowcone.  At least not to my Rosie girl!

We had a small dinner break...

and then went back to the water until the sun went down.  My favorite time of day at the beach.  Forget the sunrise, sunset is where its at!

Everybody into jammies and one sleepy baby fed.  And then of course the long ride home, but not before a few minutes to watch the lights on the pleasure pier.  They were beautiful!

Snow!! (at least what Houston calls snow!)

Alright, I'm gonna admit this is not exactly snow.  More of a pellet, dippin dots like creation falling from the sky, but we count it as snow in H-town!  But I figure if you can create a snowman with it then it for sure can be called snow.  Please don't laugh at our sad, sad, tiny snowman.  We were really proud of him!  And see the even teensier one?  That was Annie's bitsy man.  He was definitely the more pathetic one but she loved him!

Perhaps the best part was the trampoline!  They slipped and slid and threw themselves all around.  They had so much fun!  Even Annie got in on the slipping action but we didn't get any pics.   Love the little action shot Picasa made of Noah falling!  Cracks me up!

Praying for another cold winter next year so we can get real, actual snow again!!

Nina, Pinta, Santa Maria!!

This year we are studying American history with My Father's World Adventures.  I really loved spending all of first grade in Bible history, but I am excited to be learning something new (to them) this year.  Our first project was making foil ships after we learned about Christopher Columbus.  Please don't comment criticizing the shapes of my sails...  I realize they are not accurate but the kids did them and I didn't have the heart to get them to fix it.  :)  We took them outside and luckily it was a nice and windy day so they really flew all around the bucket.  Annie had just woken up but insisted on being a part of it all... I love how crazy he hair is!

The learning only lasted so long, though, before Annie threw herself into a bucket and the next thing I knew they were all in on the action!!  The best part of homeschooling for sure, these impromptu play times in the midst of learning.  :)  Annie found the headband in the garage and insisted on wearing it.... so ridiculous looking!

Wyatt ran inside and got his bag of coins and insisted I photograph him searching for a "treasure" at the bottom of his bucket AND the big reveal where he showed off what he found, LOL.  I love him!

And of course it wouldn't be a normal hour without Annie having a fit of some sort!!  She cracks me up in this picture!! 

This same day Wyatt Cade begged me to let him finish the Go For The Code workbook and then go out to Menchies to celebrate.  He had over 20 pages left and that kid did them all in one sitting!! He is certainly ready to start reading, and now I know what he is capable of, so he can't complain this year when he has to do more than two pages!!