Goodbye Houston!

It seems it wasn't long ago we were leaving Tucson but after a fun filled 2 1/2 years here in Houston, we are about to leave it all behind! I am writing this post sitting on the couch of our box filled apartment with my kids sleeping next to me on the floor. Yesterday, as I watched things get taken off the walls and put into boxes, I started to get sentimental. We moved here with a baby girl and a tiny baby boy and I can't believe how big they've grown! We've learned so much from reading to potty training in this house!

Here are some of the things we are going to miss about Houston:

- Our friends, both big and small.
- Our church ward
- Our beloved YMCA. That includes the greeter Marvin and his stickers he gives the kids, all the wonderful ladies in the kids zone and all my workout friends! We have seen these people 4-6 days a week...they have become like our family!
- Chick fil a. (I know this isn't a Houston only thing, but they don't have them in Lebanon and it became my favorite thing to make for dinner on THOSE nights.)
- Costco, Target, Sonic diet cokes...
- Summer days spent at the YMCA pool
- Walkng barefoot outside in December
- Trips to IKEA just for fun
- The zoo and Children's Museum
- Swimming laps outside (in a heated pool) in December. And with Kim. Thanks Kim!
- I also wonder if my kids are going to miss the constant sound of 610 freeway outside our windows and the big freeway lights coming in our windows all night long.

I know I wasn't too excited about coming to Houston in the first place, but it has been better than I could have ever expected. We will miss you Houston!

Family

We had our family pictures taken by Nicole Caywood and we love them. We took them at Rice and it was my first time on that campus. It was gorgeous!

"Mommy, Santa is wearing rain boots!!"

We had a fun time at our ward Christmas party this year and the highlight was, as always, Santa. Kate was so excited about it and could hardly wait. When he made his entrance and we went to stand in line, she could hardly keep her eyes off him. She was excitedly telling me she was going to tell him she wants a "kid's sewing machine" and I told her she should probably think of another idea too. (that isn't my favorite idea!) She finally settled on Barbies. Sawyer was excited about Santa too but instead of waiting in line he was running around like a crazy person, being "watched" by his Daddy. The next thing I know I have a friend pointing out the fact that Sawyer was sitting on Sawyer's lap. Good job watching, Dad. Eventually he got back in line, waited his turn and asked "Ho ho" for "Woody".
On the way home, Kate was wondering why Santa was wearing rain boots (I said its because he knows it doesn't snow in Houston) and how he got back up on the roof to his reindeer when he was done (magic).
We are loving the Christmas season!

Graduation day!

We are so proud of our Daddy! After 2 1/2 years of intense studying and long hours at the hospital he finally graduated with his Masters in Nurse Anesthesia from Baylor College of Medicine! It was a special day and we were lucky to have his mom here to celebrate with us. The kids loved Daddy's "dress" but weren't crazy about the 1 1/2 hours of pomp and circumstance.

I brought my old lens that I don't use much for the zoom capabilities but it was yucky. So unfortunately I only have yucky pictures of the big day! The good news is that we get a free picture of the "big moment"! Phew.

When it was over we celebrated with some Texas BBQ at Goode Co. Yum!

Congrats Daddy! We are so proud of you! but it was a long day...