Picture Update

With so much to share and catch up on, I decided the best way to do it was with a picture post. 

Once we landed in Houston, first order of business was to go swimming. We haven't been in a swimming pool in almost a year so Claire was pumped beyond all measure to know that we had a pool at our apartment complex. The girls dove right in and very quickly declared that they were happy to be back in Houston.

After a grueling set of immunizations that left my poor sweet girl limping for almost a week, we were ready to start preschool. This is Claire's 2nd year of preschool. She is going to be a part of the Monday, Wednesday, Friday class. So far she LOVES it!! Here she is on her first day.

Sweet Sarah also started preschool this year. She is going one day a week. She absolutely loves that she gets to go to school like Claire and that she has her own backpack and nap mat. She is struggling a bit with being exhausted at the end of the day because she refuses to nap at school. Here is my big girl on her first day of preschool.

So both girls are in school on Fridays. That means I drop them off at 9:00 and pick them up at 2:30. Woah. That is a crazy, amazing amount of freedom. I feel like a 16 year old who just got her license. Sadly, the first several weeks of free Fridays were filled with dental visits and house purchasing business. But soon, very soon I will have tackled all my major "to dos" and will have some serious "me time". At least I hope so.

We hope to close on our new house next week. Once I get inside and finish painting, arranging furniture and unpacking boxes, I'll post some pics of the inside. But for now, here is a pic of the exterior! Can't wait to get settled and start hosting playgroups, ABF fellowships, etc, etc.

We took a quick trip to Dallas last weekend to celebrate our niece's birthday and see family. While we were there, we took advantage of the amazingly mild summer temps and spent tons of time outside playing . . . . 

 . . . . and playing . . . . 

  . . . . and playing!

The girls always love seeing their Aunt Nikki!

We are having such a fun time. We are experiencing quite the "honeymoon" period right now because we left Alaska just before all the cold air started blowing in and arrived in Houston just as the worst of the heat was leaving. So now we are experiencing the mild start of "winter" here. (For my Alaskan friends, the start of winter here is translated as temps in the upper 80s, lower 90s. Crazy, huh?) I am sure we will be singing a different tune next August when the temps are in the triple digits and all my dear Alaskan friends are enjoying highs in the mid-60s.

Maybe we need to come up with a time share where we trade off time in each other's homes during the more favorable weather times. Come on Alaskan friends, I am game if you are! ;o) I know these two will be more than happy to share their rooms!!