Talents

AHG Campout

Irene and I went to the AHG Spring Campout. The weather was warm, but not hot, and dry. Friends were all around and the bugs were few. The tent went up easily and the food never got burned. Basically, I now have a child who thinks camping is fun. Oh, well. One learns from one's mistakes.

Happy, dear child


On Saturday, we saw an alligator in this lake.

Working hard

Chilling out

Good times at the on-site restroom

Irene really enjoyed hiking. She thinks it might be her special skill.

She squeezed every moment of fun she could out of Saturday evening.

NO! Not Holt, Mary!

I love going to Holt's birthday party every year. It's the perfect reason to make a spring trip to see Grandmommy, and I do enjoy seeing my dear ones bonding with Sayward's dear ones. Holt turned 5 this year which is... wow. Poor Mare-mare thought it was HER birthday party. She didn't find out she was wrong until the Birthday Song. She was heart-broken when everyone sang, "Dear Holt". Such is life.

No, Rob, that's not a hungover cowboy. It's Indiana Jones. Obviously.

Harper Ann is already being trained in the value of a big entrance.

What really counts, though, is one's staying power.

Here's where Mary's heart was broken.

She found a way to console herself.

So sweet... Maybe someday I'll gather together all the pictures of various kids sitting around Grandmommy's porch table.

On the way from Cleveland to Katy we got to swing by Raymond. Bon mot, non?

The Queen of St. Patrick's Day

Uncle Robert came in the Wednesday before St. Patrick's Day, watched Irene spar, and then came back and played checkers well into the night. What a trooper! The next morning, Irene managed to pinch everyone in the house, earning herself the title "Queen of St. Patrick's Day". She liked that.

Uncle Robert assured us she came by her win honorably.

All decked out

Catching water

Posing for Uncle Robert

Leaving Luby's, Mary stayed wrapped up in my St. Patrick's apron. Uncle Robert and Irene are unified in their love of Luby's.

They were quite the hit at Bear Creek Park.

Being city girls, they appreciate the value of a Good Stick.

Texas Independence and More

The Bishops love Texas. This year, in honor of TI Day, we went to the Texas exhibit at the Natural Science Museum. The exhibit did justice to its tagline, "Find Out Why You're So Dang Proud". Of course, Mary did her part to make sure we weren't just swollen with pride. Towards the end of the walk through, I had to pick up the pace and get her out to see some dinosaur bones lest we went into Total Meltdown. Irene said her favorite part was the pretty dress. That's my girl ;)

We ate lunch in H-town. Irene's life is just one bowl of complimentary ice cream after another.

It was a crowded day at the museum, so the girls got to view Hermann Park from the top of the parking garage.

They ran up the hill at Miller Outdoor Theater. That's Irene at the top celebrating like Rocky.

What I like about this shot at the Japanese Botanical Garden is the woman in the background taking pictures of Rob.

Mary collected rocks, which seemed innocent enough, until we crossed another bridge and she started maliciously throwing them at the koi fish.

But, how could I punish this sweet little face?

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"Take one of ME like that," quoth Vanity.

Rob and Irene have plans to move into the cottage in the background.

Happy days

Nature Day

We had a particularly fun co-op day when the kids made nature journals and went on a nature walk gathering specimens. The host did a spectacular job and opened her garden to the kids. Mary loved grazing on fresh beans, carrots, and herbs.

While the big kids had lesson and project time, Mare-mare had a ball in the fairy tale bedroom of the host's daughter.

Irene's nature journal has the sentence "I love bugs" written on it. Seems innocent enough, but it was really a dig at Mary, whose sentiments are quite the opposite.

Irene journaled by drawing pictures of the insects she saw. I especially liked the smiley faces on the creepy crawlies.

Grazing

Mare-mare the Iconoclast

I got a King Cake this year; it was a grocery store impulse buy, to be sure. I just figured Irene loves Events, Mary loves babies... perfect! After eating it had become a chore, Irene and I saw that Mary was the lucky one with the plastic in her cake and we were both once again excited about the cake. I got the camera ready and we prepared for the big moment. Mary, however, was shocked, shocked, by our idolatrous practices.
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"Mommy, how could you?"

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Ever light-hearted

Ducks and Armadillos

Late winter in Katy beats springtime in Paris, hands down. The flowers are budding, the sun is shining (not blazing), Rodeo fever is making the rounds, and Texas Independence is celebrated by transplants from across this nation. I just can't keep myself indoors - the winter was dismal and I know what the coming months have in store, so we've been making forts and feeding ducks while we can.
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Mary is in a definite "getting into things" phase. I asked her what was on her face and she said, "Uuummmm... It not taste good."
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My sweet girls kissing
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Irene in a fort
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This is to what Super Princess History and Science Team has come...
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The beginning of Texas week
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Dancing to Beethoven
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Irene and her pal worked on their Feathered Friends badge for AHG. It was a lovely excuse to visit Bear Creek Animal Park. Mary liked all the animals, of course, but she was a bit alarmed at the bug problem.
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Irene employed the skills she learned while earning her Cake Decorating badge for our Church's Texas Independence dinner.
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Like father, like daughter... Irene inherited this particular skill from the Bishop side.

A Picture That Didn't Belong Elsewhere

In Texas, the way we eat raspberries is like this...

Father/Daughter Dance

Rob is such a good sport. He got all dressed up, bought a corsage, and took his dear darling daughter to an AHG dance. I hear from a reliable source that he was the most handsome AND best dancing daddy there. I hear from an equally reliable source that Irene was the most beautiful AND most charming daughter there. Irene and I practiced proper introductions before they went, but Rob told me she only introduced him to the one couple he already knew. I asked her why, and she said, "Well, he didn't even know any of the other girls". I guess I focused too much on the "how" of introduction and not enough on the "why".

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We all know to whom her heart belongs.

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And there's a nasty rumor going around that she's not photogenic.
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Socializing
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From what I can tell, when Irene was in the dance off she put all her eggs in the twirling around basket.