Zoo with family

The weekend before school got out (for me at least) Brandon, Candice, and Elan came up to visit, and stopped in Waco to get Debra. We decided to skip church that Sunday and make a trip to the Dallas Zoo. And to make it even more fun, we decided to take the DART rail.  It was just starting to get hot out, so we went pretty early and saw all we could stand, then took the kids to play in the splash area. They were nice and worn out, and all three fell asleep on the train back home.

Waiting for the train

"Nana! We in a tunnel!!"

First up, the carousel. 

Carter flipped a wig before it ever started and decided he was better off sitting in the spinning nest

Meanwhile the "mangoes" came by on their morning stroll

Its a tradition now!

We rode the monorail too

Playing in the water. Please ignore my pasty legs.

Elan loved riding the horse!

And the aviary center. The highlight of the trip for me. D was going through a bird obsession phase, so this was pretty much a slice of heaven for her. They gave you a popsicle stick with birdseed stuck to one end, and the second you walked in the birds would come land on you to eat. Sister was beside herself, trying to pet and hug them, and couldn't understand why they weren't exactly fans of the petting.

Again, not my finest moment.

This bird sat on Brandon's shoulder for the longest time, and literally fell asleep there!

Enough fun

Carousel one last time

This time he actually sat on an animal

Despite being sweaty and gross, we decided to eat dinner at Babe's. Nana decided she would stay home with the kids, so just the four of us enjoyed a nice, fattening dinner. Unfortunately, I had to go to work the next day, but we enjoyed our short weekend with them.

Spring Break and Carter's birthday

This spring break was the first that we actually had no plans for travel or moving, or much of anything really. Of course it always consists of Carter's birthday, which he decided to celebrate at the bowling alley again this year. $100 for 2 hours for 10 kids to bowl?? Yes son, you sure may have your party there once again! The same sweet young girl was assigned to our party as last year, and she remembered us as well and was nice enough to throw in pizza and more drinks! So I will once again highly recommend the Bowlarama for all your party needs. And I have since found out the the general manager is a member of our church, which makes me even more apt to support it. 

We celebrated Molly's birthday with a party at her house, a breakfast party where the kids wore their pajamas. Carter was insistent that Molly needed a light saber for her birthday, and we even bought Claire one just to even the score a bit. I'm pretty sure that Emily probably tossed them in the top of a closet shortly after that. And I don't blame her. We also had a fun play date with them later in the week. I love getting to catch up with Em and watch the kids play!

The only other thing that we did that week was an outing to the Children's Aquarium at Fair Park. The Ya-Ya's took all our kidlets and took Bebe, Lala, and GramPam with us. The kids loved it, especially the older kids, and the younger ones were well behaved. We were able to do the whole aquarium and lunch at Razoos afterwards, so I would call that a success! 

Claire is such a hoot!

That would be 9, count them, NINE children, between the 5 of us. And we aren't all done yet. :) Landree, Zoe(in the baby carrier), Annabelle, Leighton, Brycen, Brynlee, Carter, Delaney, and Liam. 

The three oldest

The Diva wasn't feeling it

I love to watch AB and Leighton interact!

These two

The older kids LOVED the sting ray tank!

Lala, Bebe, and Mom had to practically keep them from getting in the tank

Never a dull moment!

Opening presents at home

A bike helmet for....

His big boy bike!

And then a trip to Build A Bear to make the Spider-Man bear that Grandma and Grandpa gave him money for. Which he dressed in an Iron Man costume. Whatever. 

And Nana didn't want sister to be left out, so she bought her a kitty cat.

Carter got to ring the birthday bell while they sang to him

Eating ice cream and watching movies with Jazzy

Brannan and Jack

Cole

Brycen

Lots of people came!

Auntie Missa and Rigg. He thinks he's so big!

Jason and Leighton

Leity Bug had to try it out

What a pose

Even though on the invitation I specifically said no presents, of course he was still spoiled

Jack, Cole, Carter, AB, Raygen, Liam, Jazzy, Brannan