BUSY Summer!

Well, a busy summer it has been... and one big 11 day trip ended up being canceled, so I can only imagine how I'd be describing it if we had gone to New York. Our busyness started back in June with trips to Granbury (the new home of Grana and Papa) and

then to our first Grace family reunion.

Logan in the lake... he really just liked reaching down for rocks and throwing them back in.
This is how he bathed at the family reunion. The campsite only had showers and this was just much easier... and less of a fight with him than a stand-up shower would have been!
SO TIRED. For a kid that only likes to sleep in his bed, this was his way of telling us that the weekend at the lake had worn him out! He slept here for a good 45 minutes before we were all done eating lunch and packing up the cars. What a trooper!

Following that, Logan spent a week with Grana and Papa at the lake house in Graham and Jeff and I went to get him 4th of July weekend. We even had a two night getaway for just the two of us, which was a very nice break! Logan went fishing with Papa, learned how to jump on a trampoline, spent lots of time swimming, enjoyed looking for and chasing frogs, and was always found eating "pockles" (popsicles)!It was a great vacation and a break from things here, but that's when the traveling really started to kick into high gear!

The naked cowboy playing with his fridge radio...
singing "Old McDougal" (That's what he calls Old McDonald)
The only one of us that really had a 4th of July outfit... and he was at home in bed during the fireworks show! Probably would have scared him anyway! :-)

After Graham we spent some time in McKinney visiting our good friends and Logan loved seeing "baby Jordan" What he doesn't understand is that Jordan is only 6 months younger than him, but to him he is still "baby" Here are some pics from our visit there...

They really did enjoy each other's company and played very well together.

Their faces are saying "seriously?" At least I have this for later when they are teenagers!

This is the cutest thing... the face Jordan makes when you ask him to "smile" for the camera.

Logan practicing his kicking at the beach club. It was so fun to take him to a
pool that I grew up going to. We really had to fight to get him out of the water to eat,
except when it was time for CAKE!

The end of the party... he was pooped! He wanted to lay down on the cement picnic table and was there long enough for me to get my camera! Now that's tired!

On the visit to North Texas we also stopped in to see "Humble Mike" Logan says "Uncle" very well until you ask him to say it with the word "Mike" Then it suddenly changes to "humble"
Anyway, here are some pics from them spending some quality time together...
High fives all around!
On the dizzy toy at the park... Logan really liked this one,
but I think Uncle Mike liked it just as much, if not more!
Oh, now isn't that just adorable!
Playing basketball and showing off his throwing skills!

Another great thing this summer was having Aunt Rachel come to visit us. Logan just adores her and was very happy to show her everything he knew how to do. We took her to his new favorite place... the "moose-eeem" (museum- the Woodlands Children's museum)
Showing her the fish tank, and he LOVES fish (all animals actually)
Digging for dinosaur bones in the excavating area.
Brushing the teeth together in the dentist's office
Putting on a puppet show with mommy!

So, after Aunt Rachel's visit we headed to San Antonio
for four days to visit The Curries and see new baby Camdyn.
Logan was such a good traveler, having his own seat on the plane for the first time.
It was a good practice for our NY trip this fall, though that one will be quite a bit longer!
Logan LOVED baby Camdyn... seriously couldn't get enough of her. He and Brynn also played very well together and we all had a great time at Sea World.
Hopefully how happy he was with that baby is a tell-tale sign of how good of a
big brother he will be (though that won't be anytime soon!)
These pics are on a chip that is not currently in my possession, but I promise to post as soon as I get it...




BACK TO NORMAL?
So now we have been home for a few weeks and things are starting to get settled. We had our friends Dave and Mary in town this past Saturday and they brought Logan a bean bag that he is absolutely thrilled with. He loves climbing on it and we are sure it will be worn in nice and quickly, like everything else he owns!
Here he is sitting in it, but as you can see by the look on his face, he obviously was annoyed with me interrupting his watching tv to take a picture... so no smile here! haha!

This is a video taken today of him playing in the box.
Shows how little it really takes to entertain an almost two year old.

Sorry for the longest post in the history of the Grace family blog, but as you can hopefully see, we have been a busy family this summer. We are planning on staying home through Logan's birthday weekend and then I'm sure things will get busy again with our trip to NY scheduled in October... Oh my, and then the holidays will be here before we know it!

Welcome June, Welcome Summer!

Here is a video of Logan playing in the backyard in the pool we bought him for this summer. He goes in it almost every day, but today I decided to try something new. We put the pool under the slide as we were filling it up and had quite a good time with it. You will see that Logan is a pretty tough little fella. Most of his falls he bounces right back from and you will see that in this for sure. Please don't think I'm unsympathetic, I have just gotten used to him falling and most of the time being ok. I'm sure I'll get my hands full one day though.
And before you comment... Yes, I know that I am telling him to put the hose "back in the grass" when I really meant "pool." No wonder why he wasn't listening!

Yesterday we went to the YMCA Family Fun pool and Logan now has a new favorite place. The pool is full of fountains and water shooting out everywhere. There is even a water-slide that is formed as a tunnel and shoots water all over you while you go down. Logan was all about going down the slide over and over again. He was all over the place, jumping in to us off the edge and walking very independently in the water that was about 1-2 feet deep. He tripped a few times and got his share of water up the nose and in the mouth, but that kid never wanted to leave.
Jeff and I think that next time the grandparents need to join us because we were a little worn out by the end of that "outing." I couldn't get any pictures because there was way too much risk in getting my camera wet, but if "Yaya" and "Papa" come next time,
you can be guaranteed some good shots!

Logan's list of favorite things is growing rapidly... everyday it's something new. He LOVES...
blueberries "boobewewes"
Backyardigans "my soo" for show
Baby Signing Time "baby sy ty" with a little dance!
waffles "faffles"
toast "toas" (cinnamon-raisin to be exact)
looking at photo albums "pic ters"
babies (which he says very well)
big pool at G and G's "bee poo"
his sand-box (he just calls it his "box")
coloring "coowa"
Uncle Mike "uh my" with an extra emphasis on the "uh"
chips "ships"... and I'm not kidding when I tell you that "more chips" sounds like "bullshit"
It's all very funny sometimes!
For even MORE pictures, click here
He talks non-stop right now and repeats everything you say. If I am on the phone and he is playing, I can hear him repeating me in his own little world. It's great fun to hear his vocabulary grow each day as we try to experience something new as often as possible.

Logan's Favorite Things

For my dad's birthday we went to Logan's favorite restaurant.... SWEET TOMATOES! Here is grandpa having his birthday sundae and sharing with Logan as he enjoys his jello with his hands! Logan loves getting to eat lots of different things at the buffet and the desserts there are delicious! He especially loves GRANDPA, his PAPA!

Logan loves Grandma's TURTLES. He has a whole routine with them, taking them out of their tanks and putting them in their cage and looking at each of their bellys. We will never get turtles of our own because he loves the experience every time he goes to see "Yaya" and "Papa"

Another of Logan's favorites is TRASH DAY! He can hear the truck coming from around the block and runs to the garage door. Even when he spends the night with Grandma and Grandpa he wants to be a part of "taking out the TWAS (trash)" Here he is helping Grandpa bring back up the cans after the garbage men drove away. At our house he literally chases them down the street saying "all done" and waving "bye-bye"

Aunt Maureen came to visit in April. Another of Logan's favorite things is COLORING! Grandma bought him his own play table and chair set and he really enjoys getting to "cowa" (color). He loves to use "maw-maws" (markers) but of course, mommy prefers the crayons!

Getting SO Big!

Logan is getting very good at climbing on things and is quite a strong little man. He loves his swing set and though he usually needs help with the slide part, this last week he has challenged himself to try it on his own. Here is video of just that. He may end up being too brave for me!

Rodeo 2008

Logan got to experience a day at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. He loved all the animals of course and was in amazement with the whole carnival scene.
We joined Rachel with her friend's little girl Taylor and Tiffany with Gavin and CharleighAnn.

Logan's first time on a roller coaster. It was the only ride he was tall enough to ride yet but you can bet he was more than ready. This kid didn't show a lick of fear and the beginning of the coaster even had the "tick, tick, tick" part up a little hill. I was so shocked at how brave he was.

Here we are looking over the side from the top, ready to go down. He was in amazement with the whole thing and really wasn't very happy when we had to get off.

Playing camera ham during lunch time. I love this shot that shows his big top teeth.

What a fun day for sure! Thanks to Rachel and Tiffany for inviting us!

Here is a video of Logan playing on a hill that was created for the kids to play on and roll down. He was really wanting to roll like the big kids so I had to stop recording to go help him. The video ends when he is really concerned for another little girl who had her paci taken away from her by her mom. He was very interested in her situation.

Mommy turns 27!

My birthday celebration this year was spread over a few days and of course, I wasn't complaining. My girlfriends threw me a little luncheon at Kim's house and Kim made the delicious cake and chocolate covered strawberries that you see in the picture. Logan was a big help in blowing out the candles!
This is a picture of the 4 kids in the gang. There are other little babies and Mason is the older one that wasn't there that day, but these 4 kiddos are only a total of 6 months apart from oldest to youngest. You can bet it's the remnants of a tornado after each one of our playdates!
Logan (17 mo.), Levi (20 mo.), Sydney (22 mo.) and Daylen (16 mo.)

Out to eat Mexican food for my bday dinner.
Logan was having a great time saying "cheese" for the camera.

At the park in Pearland when we went to celebrate my day with Rachel and Joel. Logan wasn't all about posing because he just wanted to be let free!
Big surprise!

Bryan Children's Museum

We went to College Station to meet up with Avery and Brynn and Kirby planned a fun day for the kiddos at the Bryan Children's Museum.

Asher, Brynn and Logan loved getting to run free!
Logan and Brynn really enjoyed playing with the train pieces.

Logan got to paint for the very first time and was very upset when I stopped him to wash him up. He was having quite a good time and as you can see, he didn't understand the need to keep the colors separate. It only took seconds and both paintbrushes seemed to be purple.

There was a "medical" section and here Asher and Logan really liked being pushed around in the wheelchair. Logan didn't last quite as long as Asher but I was able to get them to look at the camera.

In the dress-up area Logan was quick to find the cowboy hat though getting the boots on was quite a challenge. Well, walking in them was a challenge for sure!

Daddy Time

Much to my pleasure, Logan and his daddy have really started to be great buddies lately. Some days Logan can be such a momma's boy, especially now that those teeth are coming in at a pace of about one a week. But, there is nothing Logan loves more than reading time with daddy, even if they are each reading their own books. This is what I saw when I came down the stairs for church on Sunday... my two boys reading their own books, waiting for me so that we could leave.

And then, Jeff loves the snack pack puddings just as much, if not more than Logan does.
So, how do they make the best of the situation... share!!!
Logan knows if daddy has some pudding, so will he!

And daddy has also been one to add the bedtime snack to Logan's schedule. So, here is the nice chocolate face that came just after the bath that cleaned him up from dinner! Logan loves sharing a pudding or some Jello with anyone that is willing! Who can blame him?!?!


An update on the job for Jeff would probably be a nice thing to share as well. We love having him closer to home. He has made time now to work out before work at the gym on the company's property. I mean seriously, they even provide him with a locker and all the toiletries needed to get ready in the mornings! He has been in the door at 5:15 the last three days and the benefits package looks nicer every time we look at it! He will be working 9-80s which means he will be getting his 80 hours/2weeks done in 9 days instead of 10, allowing him to have every other Friday off as part of his regular work schedule. We are looking forward to some really nice three day weekends and I'm sure as the weather gets nicer, Jeff will be looking for tee times and golfing buddies on those Fridays! This is such a blessing in our lives and I know that Logan will really look forward to the evenings more now that he gets to spend lots more time with daddy. It's been so nice to be able to start dinner when Jeff's already home and can occupy the little guy! Thanks to all of you for your prayers and support through this. My how blessed we are!

Whooo Hooo!

Anadarko contacted Jeff today making him an offer for a position in the revenue department! We are so excited that Jeff will be closer to home, and we aren't complaining about the #s they offered either! This is such an answer to prayer and we want to thank everyone that has been thinking about us and praying about this situation. Patience has paid off! We are truly blessed and look forward to having more family time in the evenings now that Jeff won't be spending two hours of every day driving!

Handprint Mess

Below are some shots of our attempt to get Logan's handprint into a mold ornament. As you will see it was unsuccessful and we had to let the mold dry on it's own and now we'll have do a handprint on it in ink... It was a fun experience though!

Keep it flat buddy....

Oh, that feels different....

Ahhh.... he attempted to pick it up like it was mud or something.

Wiped it off to try again...

Yet again, he made a mess.

The pictures don't even begin to show all the fun. The table was a mess after about 7 or 8 tries and Logan was DONE when we finally gave in. Jeff tried really hard to help, but there was no use. He just wanted to play with it, totally not understanding what we were trying to accomplish.

Meeting our "Star" cousin

Last weekend I got to meet one of Jeff's cousins for the first time as she was in town for the holidays. We got together for a great lunch and she got to play for a few hours with Logan too. As we were talking she told us about the new commercial that she is in and just last week it started airing... now we see it all the time!!!
It's the new Verizon commercial and she plays the pregnant wife of the "Can you hear me now" guy... she is in labor in the cab with her mother and is on the phone showing how the signal works in the tunnel. It's a very funny one and we are very proud of her! Way to go Lena!! Below is a pic of us with her and her husband Matt.

Logan and Lena together!

He had tons of fun with all of her nephew's toys!

A Little Bit of the Christmas Fun

Well, Christmas was VERY exciting this year and VERY busy, and we sure did have a blast! Here is one of the many videos we took of Logan. He LOVED the piano that Grandma and Grandpa got him and when you ask him to go play you a song, he is very proud to do so. He is still learning the microphone, but we're sure he will develop into using all those additions very quickly... everything else has happened very quickly this last 15 months!!! He was very spoiled this year and I'll have to send out a photo album through email in order to give some insight on all the fun we had!

An interview!!!

This last year has been really tough on Jeff with commuting an hour to and from work each day in order to have a corporate job that provides benefits for the whole family. Ever since we moved to Conroe, 2 and 1/2 years ago, Jeff has been hoping to get a job with Anadarko here in the Woodlands. It's a great company and the commute would be a whole 5 minute drive. We have been intensely praying that God would let us know what path he wants Jeff to take and if accounting is the job for him, could He please find some way to get Jeff closer to home so that the days are more bearable and the time he gets to spend with Logan each night can increase.
Well, today Jeff got a call for an INTERVIEW! It is set for after the holidays, January 8th. We would appreciate all of you praying for us and for Jeff and for God's hand to be on this decision that is to be made. The opportunities would be great for our family but we want this to be what God wants for us... not just what we want for ourselves!

Visiting Gordon

Well, this week started out really busy for us and it's not really going to slow down. Sunday afternoon, Logan and I headed to College Station to sleep before getting up early Monday and driving to Gordon with Logan's Grana to visit Muna and Papa (Jeff's Grandparents). We didn't get to see them Thanksgiving like we normally do so we promised that we would make a trip sometime in December.
Well, is it just me or is December flying by?
We arrived in Gordon on Monday in time for lunch and stayed overnight, leaving after lunch on Tuesday. Arriving back in College Station Tuesday evening, we ate a quick dinner, changed vehicles and drove home late Tuesday night. Attached are pictures from our visit. Logan LOVED playing on Papa's tractor and was quite the ham when it came to photo ops!

"Up please!" This tire is HUGE, huh?

Watch out cows! Here I come! This is FUN!!!

The last two pics are of Logan in our '66 Bronco that we need to get from Gordon to Conroe... hmmmmm another thing on our to-do-travel list! Yeah!

We are home for two days and then will head to College Station on Friday to celebrate our Grace Christmas with Jeff's family, only to return Christmas Eve and celebrate with my side of the family for the last two days of Jeff's vacation.

Wagon Walk

 Well, instead of going for a wagon ride, Logan decided he wanted to take his play wagon outside. You can see, at one point he even wanted to take Santa for a ride. Dylan, as always, was right by his side! What fun play-pals they're turning out to be!

Logan gets his first gift

Ok, so here is proof of truth for people that tell you all little ones need is a box! You can here on the video what the story is and I'm quite sure those of you that have had kids are not at all surprised by Logan's reaction to today's delivery.

I think we're in trouble now

Here you will see that Logan knows how to get onto the couch on his own. After a couple of frustrating tries our son found a solution. He used a box that he often plays with as a stepstool and was very proud of himself the first time he dragged the box over for help. I for one am also very proud of him for being so innovative, but am now a bit frightened as to how many things he may use this new trick for. It took him a second to warm up to the camera, but you can see that he doesn't play shy for long. We don't know where he gets that!
and on that note... you'll have to excuse how loud my voice sounds on camera... so unusual! :-)

Jessica and Jeff

Finally, a picture of the two of us that I like! We attended Jeff's company Christmas party this past Friday and had a really fun time. There was a live band and the food was great... have to say the dessert buffet was a great thing!

Gingerbread Contest

We have a wonderful group of couple friends and we took a night off from the babies and made Gingerbread houses. We had 90 minutes to complete and then we had a vote on the best one. Here is a picture of the one the Jeff and I made:

 

These are the winners with their completed project... very neat little details for sure! Good job Jeremy and Laurie!

It was a really fun night as we roasted hot dogs over a fire and then made s'mores for dessert when we were all done! We have been blessed to have the church home that we have made this year and such a wonderful group of friends to spend our time with. What a difference it was not having all of our little ones to chase around!

Ready for Christmas!

Well, Logan is ready for Christmas! He LOVED Santa at the mall (we have been three times) and he even likes wearing his green hat around the house at Grandma and Grandpa's. We got lots of great shots, but I love this one because he's even eating cookies like Jolly Old Saint Nick! haha!

You'll be seeing how much he enjoyed Santa when you get our Christmas card in the mail!

Logan at 2 Months

Here are some updated pictures of Logan at 2 months old. We have lots of fun photgraphing him now that he is really smiling and laughing. What a joy he has brought to our lives!