Hogan

Stationery card

2011-12-29T09:29:00.001-06:00

Wishing You Merry Christmas Card

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Some of my Favorites from Christmas

2011-12-28T16:24:00.000-06:00

These PJs were just too cute to pass up and the kids wearing them are even cuter!!

Papa G., Hogan, and Tia singing Away in the Manger at the Christmas Eve service

Hogan asked Santa for a circle sled for Christmas. We never thought the sled would actually see snow, but amazingly Santa brought snow to Plainview Christmas Day. It was a Christmas miracle. What's more amazing is that we actually found a hill in west Texas to sled down!

Halloween

2010-11-07T19:32:00.004-06:00

It was a happy Halloween for Hogan. Festivities started at his school with a costume parade, games, and snacks. Next we went to the Fall Festival at my school (where Hogan experimented with green hair!).

And finally it was time to trick or treat. Hogan had waited all day to trick or treat. If we'd left it up to him he would have started ringing doorbells at 8 in the morning! Oma and Opa joined us for our first trick or treating in our new neighborhood. It was fun to have them there for our inaugural trick or treat!

Most surprising to me was that Hogan's favorite part was opening the door for all the trick or treaters that came to our house. As soon as the doorbell rang he ran to the door to pass out candy. He even had a little system about how he would pass it out. If only one or two kids came to the door they could have several pieces of candy, but if a whole line of kids came, only one per person. After several doorbells in a row, Hogan wiped his sweat and said, "Boy I sure am working hard here aren't I?" So fun to have a real house with a doorbell and trick-or-treaters stopping by!

Strong Daddy

2010-08-02T09:52:00.001-05:00

There are just some things dads can do that moms can't, or at least this mom can't. Yesterday when Hogan and I were in the pool he asked me to throw him like dad. I kept trying and after every attempt, my encouraging little boy would say, "Let's try again. I know you can do better than that." Really I couldn't. It was sweet to know how much he believed in me, but the truth is, there is no way I can catch air like Troy when I throw him across the pool. It's really just a sad attempt on my part. I think I'll stick to the things I'm good at and let Troy strain his back on this one!

Batman Mail

2010-07-25T08:15:00.000-05:00

Hogan dressed up to check our mail this week. How could you not enjoy life when this is your mailman?????

Summer Days

2010-07-19T15:22:00.000-05:00

This summer we have lived outside and it has been magnificent. We start in the morning by taking the "walk around" in our garden. This consists of checking for weeds, watering, and noting any new growth in our plants. Then we check the filters and skimmers on the pool to make sure everything is acceptable and then we GET IN!!!! We swim off an on all day and then in the evenings when we are sufficiently pruned, Troy and I retire to our chairs in the front and Hogan plays in the yard as the evening cools and the sun begins to set.

Hogan has his own puttering routine for evening play. First, he rides his jeep out to the mailbox to check the mail. Then after the mail, he tries out all of his riding toys- giving each one fair play. And then come the balls and frisbees. Sometimes he entertains us by hitting golf balls across the lawn. Sometimes he gets us going for a little game of baseball. But whatever he chooses to do in the yard he always looks like this half-dressed ragamuffin- bare chested, swim trunks, often times galoshes, but more often just barefoot, and tireless energy that is entertaining to watch. He works so hard when he plays.

Ahhhh...these summer days. Can't imagine life getting much better!

First Rainbow

2010-07-17T08:41:00.000-05:00

Hogan mentioned a few weeks ago that he had never seen a real rainbow. Until he said it, I had never given rainbows a thought. But he was right. Rainbows are a prevalent symbol in children's books and cartoons (i.e. Carebears), and something Hogan has been drawing in some form since he was 2, but in all his 4 years he hadn't ever witnessed one. The problem is I couldn't just take him to a museum to see a rainbow. We had to wait.

And then one evening on our way home from gymnastics, there it was- a piece of a rainbow in the sky. We could only see one part of the arc at first. Hogan kept asking when we were going to see the whole thing and I tried to explain the logistics of rainbows. Hogan was excited but kind of disappointed. This piece didn't seem to count as a "real" rainbow. Troy and I went inside to go about our parently evening duties. And Hogan stayed outside. Minutes later he came running inside to tell us that he could see more of the rainbow. Skeptical, I ventured outside, and sure enough, there was half of the rainbow. All three of us continued to watch as little by little the rainbow unveiled itself to Hogan. He finally got to see a rainbow. Not just a piece, but the whole thing.

In true 4-year old dramatics, he told us it was his dream come true.

Cute pics of the fam!

2010-07-14T13:30:00.000-05:00

Awwwwww! Troy loves and respects his mother!

Hogan and duck are so over fishing at this point!

Fishing with Papa G.

Fourth of July at Pagosa Springs

Just wanted everyone to see two things: 1) I do take pictures of people besides Hogan! :) 2) What a cute family the Mannings and the Keatings are! We loved our Colorado vacation!

Hiking in Colorado

2010-07-14T13:23:00.000-05:00

On our way up to Treasure Falls we came up to this fallen branch- seemed like a perfect photo opportunity. What a strong guy! It seems fitting since Hogan's life ambition is to be Batman. He's off to a good start!

Our second hike to the Piedra Falls Hogan hiked the whole way and really enjoyed exploring, climbing, and dipping his hands and feet into the cold mountain streams.

Hogan found a perfect walking stick just his size!

Fishing

2010-07-12T15:03:00.000-05:00

Hogan's big wish was to go fishing on our vacation. I don't why. He just had it stuck in his head. But everyone in the family was super accomodating and the place we were staying had several fishing ponds. The first day, although the view was magnificent, we didn't get a single bite!

Tia and Carlos helped Hogan fish in style. They bought him the fishing vest he's wearing in the first picture and a very hip Spiderman tackle box. Thanks guys!

The next time we went fishing we had more luck. Papa G had hunted out a perfect fishing spot and Hogan (with Troy's help) caught his first fish! I should add that Papa G. caught the most fish!

Hotdog!

2010-07-12T14:52:00.000-05:00

Two cool dudes with matching shirts and toothpicks

Uncool mom who begs for a picture of the matching shirts sans toothpicks

One sighing mom and one pleased boy with a toothpick in his mouth

Vacation

2010-07-12T14:43:00.000-05:00

Hogan starting out our roadtrip in style. By the return trip, we looked much worse for the wear. I wouldn't even let him go into a grocery store at one point on the way home because he had an orange drink mustache from the morning's breakfast mixed with a Fanta Red beard from lunch, his transformer PJs still on (even though it was 7 at night), and crazy car hair. I wish I had taken that photo.

One of the pleasant things about this trip was that Hogan was 4! There was so much that he could do. He made it through two rounds of golf during the week. And during those rounds, he learned a few important lessons: 1. the girls play much differently than the boys (girls' balls miraculously always make it to the fairway- some by greatness others by a swift kick in that direction when noone's looking); 2. When the marshall comes toodling by 4 year olds who didn't pay to play should always stay by the cart and show that they are uninterested in golf and are in no way slowing down the golf game; 3. If you whiff the ball, just say it's a "practice swing" Hogan funnily took to this one quite well.

It's a miracle, I know! I'm finally putting some pictures up. I had, much to my embarrassment, pictures from February still on my camera. It's been a busy year so far. My loyal family following has probably even stopped checking in to see if I've updated, BUT just for my own pleasure at least, and for those still faithful to give the Hogan blog a click every once and awhile....here are some vacation pictures!

Birthday

2010-02-14T21:55:00.000-06:00

So...we have had the Chuck E. Cheese birthday experience. Hogan had the night of his life and Troy and I left exhausted, with our ears ringing and our child hyped up on cake, tokens, and soda. The greatest part of the evening was the big Chuck E. show. When Chuck E. finally came out (after all the parents stood by uncomfortably watching the interminably long countdown), Hogan's face just lit up. He was so excited and he really boogied down. It was hilarious. I took about 50 pictures and about 3 of them came out focused. Everyone and everything moves way to fast at Chuck E. Cheese for a slow mom trying to capture moments!

We are so thankful for all of our friends and family who are a part of Hogan's life and who helped us to celebrate his 4th birthday!

Skiing

2010-02-14T21:41:00.000-06:00

Sad to say, but these are my only action shots of Hogan skiing. And I had to be undercover about getting these few. The first day of ski school Hogan cried most of the morning and Nana and Papa had to go pick him up at lunchtime. The second day after we had bribed and convinced him that ski school was super fun, he skeptically, and with a few tears, went in. BUT he ended up having a great time and got a lot of skiing in. We wanted to get pictures of him, but we didn't want him to see us- hence the far-off shots here.

It was amazing to see someone so small skiing straight down the hill, hands on his knees, with no fear. It made me wish that I could be 3 again. When I look down the hill all I see is fear. Hogan's new year's resolution is to ski with mommy. It's so great that he thinks that skiing with me is the pinnacle of skiing. I'm going to let him keep this illusion while I can, but oh, he'll be so disappointed when he realizes that mommy stays on the beginner hill all day long. The fun skiing is with daddy!

Glorieta

2010-02-14T21:27:00.000-06:00

For Christmas we went to Glorieta, NM to go skiing with Nana, Papa G., Tia, and Carlos. When we arrived in NM just days before Christmas we were greeted with this beautiful snowy view. And at any time we could open our cabin door and see snow and trees. For Hogan, the snow was a full-body experience. He tasted it, tromped in it, made snow angels in it, and slid in it. In fact, I think it's a perfect picture of how he approaches life in general!

Decorating Cookies!

2009-12-11T20:40:00.002-06:00

Hogan's friend Emory invited us over to decorate cookies today. Her mom- Mary Beth posted pics and wrote a list of funny guidelines that everyone should refer to when decorating cookies with preschoolers. Check it out: http://sweetsong-sweetestsong.blogspot.com/2009/12/pre-schoolers-guide-to-awesome-cookies.html

Now for my list of the top 5 comments made by mothers while their children are cookie decorating:

1. "Aaaaaa! Don't put that spoon in your mouth!" (This said while frantically trying to grab the spoon before it gets put back into the frosting bowl)

2. "You need to put frosting on before you pour the whole bottle of sprinkles on the cookie. The frosting will make it stick."

3. "I guess it's okay if they mix all the colors....right?"

4. "Why didn't the sprinkle people put a darn shaker lid on these chocolate sprinkles?"

5. "Why don't you try making a candy cane or an angel? I think we have enough Christmas cats." (there was one Halloween cookie cutter in the mix and of course it got used a lot!)

Thanks Mary Beth and Emory for the fun morning!

Cave

2009-11-12T00:22:00.000-06:00

One day Hogan mentioned that he wanted to see a cave. I can't remember what sparked his interest- a book, a tv show??? but when he said this I told him that Oma and Opa lived near a cave. He was very excited about this and when the big September birthday weekend came around, Hogan totally remembered our conversation about the cave near Oma and Opa and asked if we go see it while we were visiting, which as you can see from the pictures we did indeed get to do.

I think overall he liked the experience. One thing that was pretty tricky was that you're not supposed to touch ANY of the formations in the cave. This is really difficult for a 3-year old to remember when so much of his learning is through sense of touch. You also have to stay with the group. This is not a place to run ahead- again a bit of a stretch for Hogan, although I will say he tried his hardest to follow the rules.

What was very cool was that we saw an actual bat in the cave. It flitted and flew over our heads. The guide gave us directions about what to do if the bat lands on you. "Stand very still", he said(yeah, right!). Luckily, the bat made the wise choice to stay above our heads and landed only on rocks. By the time we left Hogan could point out the stalagtites and several times since the trip he's talked about stalagtites and stalagmites- so the trip definitely made an impression.

Trick-or-treating with friends

2009-11-01T06:31:00.000-06:00

This was the first time that Hogan got to do the door-to-door trick-or-treating. He totally got into it and as you can see from all the blurry pictures would NOT stand still long enough for me to get a shot. I tried to pick the least blurriest ones. Needless to say when we finally got home we had one tired Hogan/Batman who was already talking about his costume for next year and who went right to sleep as soon as his head hit the pillow!

Hogan says: Thank you for letting me go Halloween place with me and Kayleigh. My favorite part was the scary part. I was scared because a man had a mask and we thought he wasn't real. He took off his mask and scared us. At first he scared us. He was a man and he was just playing jokes on us.

Trick-or-treating at the mall

2009-11-01T06:22:00.001-06:00

Batman on the go

Checking his candy

Taking a break

Transformed back to Hogan- Batman had a busy night!

School Party

2009-11-01T06:17:00.000-06:00

After carving our pumpkin we headed out to Hogan's school where his teacher had set up a mini-festival in her cul-de-sac. The kids paraded around the cul-de-sac and then were able to go around to different stations for food and activities. The top picture is the pose that Hogan would stand in anytime anyone asked to take a picture of batman.

Pumpkin Carving

2009-11-01T06:08:00.001-06:00

Our Halloween festivities started with a little pumpkin carving. Hogan got very involved in ALL aspects of the process (I did draw the line at actually letting him carve the pumpkin). He helped clean out the goop and even drew the face (with just a little help from me). The best part was putting the flashlight inside and turning off all the lights...eerie!

Adoption Day

2009-10-09T16:05:00.002-05:00

Every August we celebrate Hogan's adoption. It is the month when his adoption was finalized and our family was cemented together forever. This year's Adoption Day was filled with family and plenty of fun. We played out in the yard, went swimming, and of course ate a delicious cake. Troy and I realized that from this point on Hogan will begin to understand more and more about his adoption. We decided that we wanted to make service a part of his adoption day celebration. We want Hogan to begin to understand that while this is a day to celebrate our family and eat cake and get presents, it's also a time to help those who aren't quite as fortunate as we are. We feel like we have been blessed immensely. So this year, everyone who came to share in Hogan's Adoption Day festivities got to come to the grocery store with us so that Hogan could pick out food for the food bank. His job was to pick out food that kids would like to have.

The following week, I brought Hogan up to Troy's work where they have food bank for their clients. Hogan was greeted at the door, got to bring his food in and see what the food bank looked like. Since Hogan was a little confused about real banks and food banks and a bit concerned about whether he would get a sucker at the food bank like he does at the money bank, the person who greeted us also had a sucker ready for Hogan- it was very sweet.

Circus

2009-10-09T15:48:00.000-05:00

In August we went to the circus with our friends. Everything in the Big Top was over the top- the lights, the stunts, the length of the show, and the twelve dollar cotton candy. Troy, forever the realist was convinced that the hassle to fun ratio would balance more on the side of "hassle". Hogan and I, the idealists, believed that this really would be the greatest show on Earth! I'm not sure, when you weigh the cost of the cotton candy (did I mention it cost 12 dollars?) against the cool motorcycles that raced around the steel sphere; the madding crowds against the brave flying trapeze artists; the 3-hour show that really could have ended after 90 minutes against the stilted clowns how the ratio was weighted, but whether hassle or greatness it was an experience that we won't soon forget!

Schlitterbahn

2009-08-30T14:36:00.001-05:00

Before entering the Schlitterbahn waterpark

About 3 minutes after leaving the Schlitterbahn Water park

We have no pictures of the inbetween because I didn't want to mess with a camera, but I will say that despite the crowds we had a fun day and as you can tell it tuckered Hogan out! He had a blast and he's still talking about the "steam" ride, which was their new Congo river ride with lots of rapids and hills.

Enchanted Rock

2009-07-07T10:41:00.000-05:00

If you live in Texas you have to climb Enchanted Rock at some point in your life. Hogan didn't do a lot of climbing this first climb, but he did find lots of places along the way to the top to "rest". Once we made it to the top he was full of energy while the rest of us were ready for a break. It had just rained a couple days before so there were lots of big and little puddles all over the top. Hogan made his way to each one and accidentally slipped or jumped in them before I finally just took his shoes off.

After finishing the climb we traveled into Fredericksburg to Wheelers where Hogan ate a huge lunch. I've never seen him eat so much in one sitting. Having people carry you up and down Enchanted Rock is tough work!

The rest of the weekend with Nana and Papa was a blast, although none of it was captured on camera (sorry!), because this mom was too busy enjoying the water park at the Flying L Ranch right alongside Hogan!

Bats

2009-06-30T08:52:00.000-05:00

I finally got to see the famous bats of Austin. Okay- these are the famous bats of Round Rock, and I still haven't ever actually seen the bats off of Congress bridge BUT I was glad to have my curiosity satisfied. There are lots of bats and right as the sun is beginning to set, they begin flying out in hordes to seek out their food. Hogan thought this was pretty neat. It has opened a whole discussion of nighttime animals, something he didn't know existed, and he's been working really hard to wrap his 3-year old mind around the idea that some animals are awake while he's sleeping.

And of course, I have to add the now-standard silly face picture that he's currently obssessed with.

Dancing with Opa

2009-06-29T08:41:00.000-05:00

Putting on the record

And then dancing

and dancing

and dancing!

Hogan says: "Thank you for letting me go to Oma and Opa's house. I love my Opa, but I miss him. I'm so sad about it. They're not here."

Friends

2009-06-26T07:23:00.000-05:00

We are so lucky to have such wonderful friends. My bookclub group has been meeting for almost five years. We've read lots of books and in that time we've celebrated births, adoptions, marriages, and other amazing accomplishments. This week we all met with our kids to swim and play. We were all being so self-congratulatory about how sweet, cute, and wonderful our kids are. They played well together and had such a good time. I didn't get any pictures of our swimming, but afterwards the kids played in this shaded courtyard. The sticks were magic wands, the brick foyer was a house, and I'm not sure about the poles, but at one time four of the kids were on the poles lining the sidewalk trying to climb them. They played for almost an hour running around the courtyard together in a little gang, never once fighting, tattling or whining. It was a delightful afternoon!

Six Flags

2009-06-25T08:40:00.001-05:00

Last Friday we took Hogan to Six Flags for the first time. We went after Troy got off of work, which was the perfect time to go. It wasn't as busy or as hot and four hours at the park was plenty for a first visit. Luckily, Hogan was right at 36 inches so there were lots of rides that he could ride. He loved the mini mine train and the antique cars, but the Roaring Rapids and the Cave ride on the boat kind of scared him. He was really bothered by that bad guy Yosemite Sam and kept asking us if Bugs Bunny had really caught him.

We got the Big Six pass (an awesome deal by the way) so we'll get to go 5 more times this summer. Hopefully our camera won't run out of batteries like it did this time and we can get some more pics of Hogan enjoying the rides.

It's very rare that Hogan asks to go to bed, but by the end of the night once we'd got in the car and were on our way home Hogan actually said he was ready to get in his own bed. I think Six Flags is just the right speed for Hogan's energy!

Climbing Trees

2009-06-24T08:57:00.000-05:00

My grandparents have this pole in their basement. I think it's part of the support structure, but as a kid it was the coolest thing to have this fireman pole downstairs. Everytime I visited when I was younger my brother, sister, all the cousins and I all tried to climb this pole. At the time it seemed so tall and it was quite a feat for a cousin to scale it and touch the ceiling. Seeing the pole now from adult eyes makes me laugh. I can touch the basement ceiling with my hand probably and the pole is maybe only six feet tall.

Watching Hogan climb these trees makes me remember that pole in the basement. I know he thinks he's climbed great heights. He just can't believe that he made it up these trees. I laugh to think what he'll say when we come back years from now to visit his first home-to see these trees that seemed so big when he was 3.

Hogan says: "I was climbing the trees. Lots of trees. Five trees. Six trees. Nine trees. Seven trees. Eight trees. That's a lot of trees.

More Spring Break Pictures

2009-06-23T07:18:00.000-05:00

Still hiking the around the beautiful waterfalls in Tennessee!

Spring Break

2009-06-22T08:19:00.000-05:00

I realized that I never finished adding pictures from Spring Break. I think the only ones that got put up were the ones that Hogan took at the bowling alley. These pictures are from a beautiful hike that we went on with Nana and Papa. The drive was worth the waterfall views. The narrow suspension bridge across the river added even more fun to the hike.

Funny Face

2009-06-19T07:16:00.001-05:00

Well, we've progressed from the Cheeeese! smile to the to goofy face for pictures. Several times over the weekend when Troy or I would say, "Hogan, look at the camera..." this is the face we got.

Hogan says: "Here I am at the lake. Remember the little boy that went under the water with me?"

Second picture: "I've got to go where the creaky sound is." (We were in this old barn taking a tour of a historical farm at the state park and the door outside made this eerie creaky sound and there were these huge scavenger birds indside ruffling their feathers. Hogan and I both got a little jumpy, and it has made quite an impact on Hogan. He keeps talking about the creaky sound.)

Junior Angler

2009-06-18T08:13:00.000-05:00

This past weekend we went camping at Cedar Hill State Park. We just happened to be there on the Saturday that the park was hosting a Family Fishing Day. The kids began by rotating through three stations. In one station they learned water safety (that's the first picture where Hogan is racing to put on the lifejacket). In another station they practiced casting and fishing for magnetic fish (that's the second picture). And in the third station we practiced tying knots and learned about different kinds of fish. Did you know that the Guadelupe Bass is the state fish of Texas?

After the stations, we got to go out and actually fish. The park provided all of the fishing rods and the bait. Hogan loved fishing. It was a really hot day and Troy and I thought that our fishing adventure might end up in a fit, but Hogan was so patient and never whined or cried despite the 90 degree sun beating down on us. Troy and I were very impressed. Hogan especially loved picking up the worms and minnows for bait.

At the end of the time, each child was awarded a Junior Angler pin and a certificate. Great fun!

Hogan says: "Remember when I was trying to catch a big fish and I couldn't get one?"

Last Day of School

2009-06-17T08:09:00.000-05:00

Hogan ended his year at school with a bang, or rather, a POW! His school had a fun splash day with plenty of cupcakes, water, and mud to keep Hogan engaged and busy.

Hogan says: "I was playing with Robert and that puddle. Robert was in there and I was playing with him (there's a big mud puddle and a friend behind Hogan in the last picture- that's what he's referring to here). I was having sunglasses and eating a cupcake."

Baseball Season

2009-06-16T07:50:00.001-05:00

These are pics from our first baseball game of the season and can you believe all I got to commemorate the even were two pictures of Hogan stuffing his face with cotton candy??? Nice!

We can mark Hogan's growth by how many innings he can make it through each year. His very first game he slept most of the way through- he was only about 3 months old. The next year he could only sit for an inning or two before I'd have to take him out to toddle about. Last year he could make it about 3 or 4 innings before I had to take him out to run about. And this year he made it through 7 whole innings before we had to go out and take a break. He's almost there!!!

Puddles

2009-06-15T08:44:00.000-05:00

Anytime this spring we needed Hogan to do something whether it be pottying at school or staying in bed during nap we could tempt him with the promise of jumping in puddles. It was the cheapest, but by far the funnest, reward we've found for good behavior!

Hogan says: "I am jumping in the puddles. The puddles splashed on my tummy. The rain made the puddles, but right now the rain is forgetting the puddles. It is too sunny."

Daddy's Boots

2009-06-12T08:17:00.000-05:00

More and more Hogan wants to do things like his daddy. Just yesterday in the car Hogan told me that he wanted to take his big blue ball far out into the trees. "But not with you mom. Dad will do it." And just like that I realized there are just some things that only dads can do- like keep you safe from lightning, throw the ball far into the woods and then take you to find it, withstand full force tackles, and teach you the names of all the Texas Rangers. Hogan will always be a mama's boy- I'm good for hugs, kisses, stories and comfort, but there's nothing that can replace a loving daddy, and I'm so thankful that Hogan has one.

Bluebonnets

2009-06-11T08:27:00.000-05:00

I remember my mom making us take bluebonnet pictures...so I feel like I would be remiss if I didn't make my own child sit in a patch. He'll cherish the memory forever. Troy says only non-native Texans go for the bluebonnet picture craze- is that true????

Hogan says: "I saw an ant on my feet. I was sitting in your lap because there were ants." (See what great memories I'm creating!)

Snails

2009-06-11T08:21:00.000-05:00

These were Hogan's favorite pictures from the muddy adventure outside of Oma and Opa's house. This was his first encounter with snails and they intrigued him greatly.

Hogan says: "The snails were coming out of their shells. I liked the snails. They felt cozy. Siiiiiike!"

Mud

2009-06-10T08:29:00.000-05:00

Never think that rainy weather can stop us (or at least Hogan) from having fun. Oma and Opa had a perfect little mud puddle right next to the porch that Hogan spent many minutes exploring while I sat on the safe dry porch drinking coffee and snapping pictures.

Hogan says: "Picking up the snails was fun. I forgot to bring them home. Are they still there at Oma and Opa's house? We'll have to go check! And I got rain all over me. When I was scared of the lightning I ran and ran to Oma and to you."

Easter

2009-06-09T08:43:00.002-05:00

Okay! The work-induced blogging hibernation is over and summer is here!!! So, I'll try to catch up on all those bloggable moments since...gulp April!

We spent Easter with Oma, Opa and aunt Allison. Oma was ready for Hogan to dye eggs, and as you can see, it was a pretty messy project, which means Hogan absolutely loved it. (See the proud display of dyed hands!). It was also fun for Allison and I to relive our past dyeing days and remember fun tricks or mixing colors and making designs on eggs. Hogan didn't quite appreciate our finesse, but we've got many years ahead of us to teach him all we know! :)

**** New feature - available on select blogs- Hogan's perspective! I scribe he talks!

Here's his take on Easter:

"I liked getting the stickers out and getting my hands all dirty and doing Easter eggs!"

Hogan's view of bowling

2009-03-28T18:51:00.001-05:00

In lovely Tennessee we visited the bowling alley one wet afternoon. Hogan, with the help of bumpers and ball guide finished his 10 frames in about 10 minutes. It took the rest of us a little longer (and I should add here that the younger Mannings beat the older Mannings at two games of bowling) to finish our games. So in between bowls we all took a turn here and there keeping Hogan occupied. I let him be the photographer for awhile. And while many of his pictures turned out blurry, there were a few, as you'll see here, that have some fun perspective. He was especially enthralled with the many colored balls. I had about 50 pictures of blurry bowling balls on my camera after Hogan used it.

*** this is just the start of our spring break 2009 what's up trip- I'll try to keep posting this week. I didn't want to overwhelm you all on one day!

Sunday Excursions

2009-02-07T15:05:00.000-06:00

When I was younger my family would load up on a Sunday for a ride in the country or sometimes a daytrip to some site that my parents had read about. I particularly remember doing this after we first moved to Texas. My dad had this thick yellow Texas travel book that he kept on the shelf of his nightstand. He would pull it out every so often and find places for us to go. This was one of my favorite books, and I remember going to get it out of my parent's bedroom every so often so that I could look through it.

This past weekend, I had this yearning to recapture the spirit of those days. I pulled out my travel book, which isn't thick or yellow, but serves the same purpose. It describes possible family adventures in every area of Texas. We decided to go to Glen Rose, the dinosaur capital of Texas, to visit Dinosaur World. We woke up early Sunday morning, packed our picnic lunch, filled our thermos with coffee and headed out for our adventure.

We arrived minutes after Dinosaur World opened and were the first visitors of the day to greet the dinosaurs. There was a paved trail that lead us through the park. Every few feet there was a different set of dinosaurs. Hogan ran through the whole trail, while Troy and I kept a leisurely pace, reading the informational signs. When Hogan wanted us to see a particular dinosaur he would stop and wait for us to catch up. He even directed me to take his picture (see the first one) with his favorite dinosaurs.

After finishing the trail, Hogan got to dig in the fossil pit. It's designed for kids to find lots of fossils and at the end of the 15-minute dig, Hogan got to pick out three fossils to keep. He chose the sharpest, biggest shark teeth. We played on the playground for a little while and then headed to the State Park just down the road to see actual dinosaur footprints.

And then we headed back home- my childhood spirit completely sated.

Baseball

2009-02-07T14:00:00.003-06:00

Here's a little footage of Hogan playing with his birthday present from Nana and Papa G. I think we may have a baseball star in the making! :)

Happy Birthday!

2009-01-26T20:48:00.000-06:00

Hogan celebrated his 3rd birthday last Thursday with his friends at Going Bonkers. The name of this place is very fitting as it is exactly what happens to the kids while they're there. It is a kid heaven- a climbing, sliding, swinging, jumping, arcade-game playing paradise. I don't think I saw Hogan except for the cake eating and present opening. He was on the go from the time we got there until the very end.

It's hard to believe that he's three. In some ways these past three years have felt decades long, and I'm pretty sure that three years of being a parent is not doing me any good in the aging department. But in other ways it feels like just yesterday that Troy and I got the call from our caseworker giving us the good news of Hogan's birth. We had waited months for that call and years for a child. And when Hogan finally was able to come home with us I remember studying his face wondering who he would be and what kind of little boy he would become. And now that Hogan's three and that little boy is right before me I try to remember what was in that baby face that is still here today. He has the same bright eyes that are always curious and thinking. He has the same strong body that is always ready to try something new. He has the same sweet cheeks that open into a smile (but not too often- we always had to work to get that smile, he was too much of a thinker).

And what does he have now that I could never have guessed no matter how hard I studied that face? A sense of drama, a touch of a Texas accent (where did that come from?), an expressive face that gives away all of his thoughts, musicality, bossiness (or shall we say administrative flair?), and an energetic, but gentle spirit.

So, here's to many more years. I'm sure there is more to discover about Hogan- already there is much to remember.

Happy New Year!

2009-01-04T18:13:00.000-06:00

Happy New Year everyone! We hope that this year is full of wonderful adventures and blessings!

Christmas

2009-01-04T18:08:00.000-06:00

We had such a lovely Christmas at home. This was the first year that Hogan really got the idea of Christmas morning and opening presents. I love that he is so happy with simple things. He absolutely loved his Thomas umbrella and roller skates. We spent a good part of Christmas day out on his skates trying to figure them out. And when he got to Oma and Opa's house a couple of days later he wanted to skate to the park (which is a good ten minute walk away- he made it to the corner before he had to give up the dream and hop in the wagon).

However, even though Hogan loves simple things, he is still a kid who can always find a toy that he needs. Last night at Target we went down the toy aisle. Hogan picked up a toy and showed it to Troy and said, "Santa forgot to leave this one at my house." So, needless to say, Hogan is sad to see the end of the Santa for this year.

cookies for santa

2009-01-04T17:53:00.000-06:00

Making Christmas cookies is one of my favorite memories from when I was a child. There was nothing better than sugar cookies and powdered sugar frosting. So- I got out my Betty Crocker cookbook and we made some sugar cookies from scratch AND the frosting too. It was a fun way to spend our Christmas Eve day. That night Hogan helped me write a letter to Santa. He was very concerned about Santa's reindeer and wanted Santa to know that two of the cookies were for the reindeer. And then he carefully picked out the cookies choosing the very prettiest ones. It was really very sweet.

My scientist

2009-01-04T17:41:00.000-06:00

Let me introduce you to Gak- a gluey, stretchy, very fun to touch substance made of glue, borax, and water. Miss Judy at Hogan's school introduced us to the stuff and this was one of the things that Hogan wanted to make at home over the Christmas break. We had such fun exploring the properties of Gak. Hogan set up his own little experiment once he discovered that Gak will drip all the way to the floor. he set up different amounts of Gak to drip off the counter and watched it slowly gloop its way down.

Polar Express

2008-12-20T18:19:00.000-06:00

While in Plainview for Thanksgiving we got to ride the Polar Express in Lubbock. There was dancing, singing, hot chocolate, Santa, and a trip to the North Pole (strangely there's no snow and lots of tumbleweed in the North Pole- I always pictured it looking a bit different). Hogan had a grand time riding the Polar Express, except he did NOT like the girls dressed up as elves, and he especially did not like having to dance with them. This really got on his nerves.

Decorating the Christmas Tree

2008-12-20T17:50:00.000-06:00

Each year as Hogan grows and learns, the holidays become more fun. Decorating the Christmas tree this year was exciting. Hogan knew what a Christmas tree was, could help put on ornaments, and is now anxiously awaiting Santa's arrival. I thought that I would be a little ambivalent about Santa. I mean technically it's telling a big lie to your kids about how Christmas presents get under the tree. I didn't know if I wanted to perpetuate this myth and tell stories to Hogan that weren't true. BUT then, one night, when Hogan was being especially stubborn about going to bed, I played the Santa card.....I actually got out my cellphone and made a personal call to Santa to have a little chat about Hogan's behavior. Can you tell I was desperate???? This was an awful parenting moment, it truly goes against everything I believe about disciplining children, but IT WORKED. Suddenly, it all became very clear why the Santa myth continues, and as much as I hate to admit that I have to resort to using that particular ploy, I guess I'll just humbly say it- I'm not a perfect parent, and since I'm having to admit things about myself, I might as well go ahead and admit that for the next 7 years or as long as Hogan believes, Santa is here to stay! :)

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-12-20T17:24:00.000-06:00

These are the only 3 pictures I have from Thanksgiving- I didn't do a very good job of documenting this event. I should have taken pictures of the four of us brave souls (Tami, Carlos, Troy, and I) heading off to Wal-Mart at 5 in the morning on Black Friday. I should have taken pictures of the wonderful feast that Nana prepared. I should have taken pictures of Tami AND Carlos- we were so grateful to get to spend their first married Thanksgiving with them; it was wonderful to see them both so happy. I think I was enjoying myself so much that I just forgot to take pictures- so all that's left are my "should haves" and these 3 pictures. We are thankful for our family. Thank you Nana and Papa for all that you do for us and for hosting such a nice Thanksgiving at your house.

Sea World

2008-12-20T17:16:00.000-06:00

Sea World was a blast- and can I just say- November is the time to go. The weather was absolutely perfect. There were no lines. It was such a pleasant experience. Hogan had the greatest time and we were so thankful that Oma and Opa could join us for this adventure. Hands down, feeding the dolphins and taking the plunge on the log ride were Hogan's favorite part. As soon as we went down the first hill on the log ride, Hogan started asking if we could do it again. We rode it twice and Hogan would have gone again. I had to draw the line at two times because my pants were soaking. It pays to be little and stuck in between big people- you don't get as wet!

San Antonio Children's Museum

2008-12-20T17:09:00.000-06:00

Thank goodness for Troy who toured the city of San Antonio while I was busy at the convention. He and Hogan spent an afternoon at the children's museum. Troy said the grocery store was the coolest part. It was set up like a real grocery store; the kids could load up their cart with food and then take it to the checkout. Hogan gave this museum two thumbs up, but unfortunately, rated the Alamo as a big BORE- we'll have to keep working on that Texas pride!

San Antonio Zoo

2008-12-20T16:59:00.000-06:00

We had the greatest time at the San Antonio Zoo in November (so sorry about the long time no blogging). The very coolest exhibit was the underwater hippo one. Troy and I were just as mesmerized as Hogan by these huge animals slowly lumbering through the water. We stayed in there a long time just watching and watching them.

Dinosaurs

2008-11-12T13:52:00.000-06:00

We visited the Dinosaurs Live exhibit at the Heard museum a couple of weeks ago. At first, Hogan didn't know what to think of these dinosaurs. They were more life-like than we had thought they would be. They moved and made noises, so at first he was very cautious. After the first walk through we had a snack, let the idea of the dinosaurs settle, and then he was ready to walk the dinosaur loop again. The second time through he actually would touch them as long as Troy was holding him. His favorite was the "blue dinosaur". That's the one he and Troy are touching in the last picture.

Halloween Party

2008-11-12T13:46:00.000-06:00

I know- we're already into November, but I'm just now getting through all our Halloween pictures. Hogan's preschool had a fun Halloween party. Now, when Hogan sees anyone getting out tables and putting food on them, his eyes get big and he says, "Party???" The idea of tables full of cupcakes and snacks greatly appeals to him!

Halloween

2008-11-02T13:49:00.000-06:00

Hogan a.k.a. Bob the Builder had such fun trick-or-treating at the mall. We met up with our good friend E. and her mom and trekked the mall seeking out the candy. Hogan could spot the people handing out candy so fast- and then he would make a beeline to them- so sorry to anyone who might have stood between him and the candy bowls!

Pumpkin Carving

2008-11-01T14:06:00.000-05:00

Last weekend we carved our pumpkin together. Hogan was totally into it and worked hard helping Troy and I gut and carve the pumpkin (apparently I'm in the top ten of worst pumpkin hollowers- where was Tia when we needed her most?). Hogan was set on giving the pumpkin a sad face- who knows the logic of this, but he could not be talked out of it, and so, our jack-o-lantern wears the saddest face I could draw and Troy could carve!

More Pumpkin Patch

2008-11-01T09:15:00.000-05:00

Pumpkin Patch

2008-11-01T09:09:00.000-05:00

Fun day at the pumpkin patch last weekend- trains, wagons, bounce houses, pumpkins- a perfect mix to get us in the mood for autumn and Halloween (we just had to ignore the 80 degree Texas weather and the sun beating down on us!)

Walking Away

2008-10-10T14:45:00.000-05:00

I didn't even mean to take this picture- it was a mistaken click. But there was something about this picture that made me hesitate to delete it. I don't know if it was the purposeful stride or the pant legs that don't have to be rolled up anymore, or maybe it was the fact that as he was leaving he turned to me and said "I'll be right back" as he headed to the house to go get something. For just a moment I caught a glimpse of the little boy, the teenager, the man that he is going to become.

The Jeep

2008-10-09T14:01:00.000-05:00

All the pieces came together for Hogan last week, and finally, he can steer the jeep on his own. As you can see, he can also take the jeep on some pretty exciting trips too. The only problem is that Hogan can get somewhere, but inevitably, and to our irritation, always wants us to push him back to the house. It involves quite a bit of muscle to get that jeep and Hogan back to the apartment after he's driven out and about. So, almost every jeep escapade ends with Troy and I telling ourselves we'll never take that jeep out again until he learns to drive himself back (but obviously that doesn't really happen). I may be able to beat certain people in arm wrestling now, though! :) You know who you are.

The Adventures of Mr. Worm Part 2

2008-10-08T19:34:00.002-05:00

Poor Mr. Worm fell (or was he pushed....) into the huge hole (that maintenance has yet to fill) by the sewer grate. Hogan saved him from his perilous predicament. Once Mr. Worm was safely out of the hole, Hogan wiped his brow and said, "That was hard work, really, really hard work!"

Adventures of Mr. Worm

2008-10-08T19:31:00.000-05:00

Here start the adventures of Mr. Worm today. Everything started out pretty mild- until Mr. Worm met his fate at the sewer grate!

Big Boy Bed

2008-10-05T18:55:00.000-05:00

Last night was Hogan's first night in his big boy bed. We'd spent all day cleaning, rearranging, gathering all the pieces and by 5:00 his new room, with no trace of baby left, was complete. Troy and I felt creaky and old and a little sad to say good-bye to the crib and changing table. Hogan was wild with excitement; it was like having brand new toys since everything was in a new place. When nighttime finally came, Hogan spent about 45 minutes readjusting his lamp and calling out for mom and dad needing reassurance that despite the new furniture everything all worked the same. After that he had a solid night's sleep- proof that he was really okay with growing up. But are Troy and I?????

Blueberries

2008-10-05T18:40:00.000-05:00

Hogan has been craving blueberries for the past couple of weeks, and I finally remembered to pick some up at the store today. Blueberries aren't exactly in season right now so we bought the frozen ones which were plenty juicy and sweet. Troy and I finally had to cut Hogan off- I think he might have eaten the whole bag if we'd let him. On another totally unrelated note, Way to go Cowboys!!!!!

baseball game

2008-09-11T14:29:00.000-05:00

For Troy's b-day we went to see the Rangers play the Red Sox (I hope that's right) and the Rangers won- so way to go Rangers!!!! Hogan had a ball traveling between grandparents; he was trying to find the one with the best snack because as you know food at a ballgame is the most important part!

First Day of School

2008-09-11T14:22:00.000-05:00

Hogan started school this month. He goes every day from 9-12. He has adjusted so well and seems to really love it. It's exciting to see him being part of a group and really thriving!

Adoption Day

2008-09-11T14:20:00.000-05:00

These are pics from our Adoption Day! This is the day that we celebrate how our family came together. This was our third Adoption Day celebration (hard to believe)! We did a lot of everything- presents, cake, rodeo, a little craft- it was a great day! We are thankful for Hogan's birthmother who made the decision that Troy and I would be good parents for her baby. We are thankful to Hogan who has brightened our world (and tired us out!). We are thankful to Nana and Papa and Oma and Opa who have whole-heartedly welcomed Hogan into our family. There couldn't be a little boy out there who is any more loved. We are thankful for Tia and Carlos and Aunt Allison and Uncle Colin who love Hogan as their own. What a lucky family we are. AND I'm sure if Hogan could write he would say he's thankful to be part of such an awesome family! :)

Dress Up

2008-08-05T12:46:00.000-05:00

Hogan and his friend got into the hats and entertained us and themselves with their silly antics in front of the mirror! Can you tell Hogan thinks he's pretty funny??

Camping

2008-07-26T16:19:00.000-05:00

My philosophy on family vacations is similar to my philosophy on golf. When playing golf as long as I hit a few more good shots than bad shots I feel like I might come out and play again. Likewise, with family vacations, if the good moments outweigh the bad, then there's a chance we'll load up and venture out next summer. Thankfully, on this camping trip there were plenty of endearing moments to cancel out the melt downs, stuffy tent, pesky raccoons, and sweltering heat. Here are a few of my favorites:

1) taking naps with Hogan on the hammock

2) playing Scrabble by flashlight

3) finding rocks to throw in the lake

4) ice cold red cream soda and black cherry soda

5) Hogan sleeping soundly for 2 out of the 3 nights

6) Troy's fantastic grilled dinners

7) hiking

8) air conditioned places in Tyler

9) having the whole movie theater to ourselves one afternoon

10) getting our favorite campsite (#138 for anyone who ever ventures out to Tyler State Park)

Forest Hike

2008-07-26T13:59:00.000-05:00

Tree Rainbow

Forest Slide

Snakey branch

Kids make you see things in such different ways, which is why I love hiking with Hogan. True, it's much slower going, but he finds so many things to enjoy and makes such interesting connections.

Discovery Museum

2008-07-26T13:52:00.000-05:00

We had to get out of the heat during the afternoon while we were camping and we had fun exploring Tyler, which surprisingly had several things to do for little ones. Our favorite afternoon was at this science museum for kids. We spent nearly 3 hours here and could have spent more. They had an indoor cave with a simulated earthquake, pictures of bats, and a bridge that led to this huge ship. There was a sand table, blocks table, ball room with all sorts of ramps and spirals to run balls down and through. There was the TV room that Hogan loved. He could not quite figure out how he could be on TV. It was almost like he thought that he was in the TV. He kept trying to get up and walk to the TV to talk to himself, but of course as soon as he did that he was no longer on the screen. It was so cute watching him talk and wave to himself. There was also a bubble room where you could make giant bubbles. Then, just when we thought we'd seen it all we found this huge warehouse room filled with business-sponsored playrooms like a fire engine with fire-fighting gear to put on, a construction zone with tools and hats, a transportation room with a train track and an airplane, a grocery store with shopping carts and aisles of food for kids to pretend they were shopping. Can you tell we LOVED this place? It was such fun and a perfect way to get out of the heat. Way to go Tyler, Texas!

Paddleboats

2008-07-26T13:43:00.000-05:00

There were many fun moments while we were camping. Paddleboating was not one of them. Even though we started out early, rented a paddleboat right when the camp store opened, it was the hottest, longest paddleboat of our lives. The lake, that at first looked so small, turned out to be vast in a very slow moving paddleboat. The boat ride that at first seemed novel for Hogan quickly turned into tears and whining as the sun beat down on his little face and the bulky lifejacket trapped in all the heat. Troy and I were grimacing from the burning pain shooting in our legs and back while trying to keep a happy face for Hogan and the sweat was just dripping down our faces.

Finally, divine intervention, and I promise you it was. About the middle of the ride (we were just making the turn to go back to the dock, but had a very far way to go), Hogan asked me to put on Troy's hat and be Sir Toppenhat. For those of you who don't know, Sir Toppenhat is the train manager or owner or something important for Thomas the tank engine and all of his friends. I gave my very best Sir Toppenhat impersonation- it was the best of my life so far. Sir Toppenhat encouraged Hogan to stay strong and help his mommy and daddy who were very tired and hot. Sir Toppenhat also pointed out places where Thomas and his friends liked to swim and helped Hogan to see the dock where all the paddleboats were lined up. Don't ask me to explain toddler logic, but somehow this got Hogan through the most hellish paddleboat ride ever and calmed him down more than Troy or I could.

When it was over we all had a good laugh and several times during the week we asked Hogan if we wanted to go on a paddleboat ride (in jest of course) and his answer was always an emphatic "No!"

Butterflies

2008-07-15T07:21:00.000-05:00

Here are some pictures Troy took of the butteflies from the Heard Museum exhibit.

Heard Museum

2008-07-15T07:19:00.000-05:00

We took a morning trip to the Heard Museum in McKinney,Tx. Hogan and I visited this museum last year around the same time. Today was the opening of their butterfly exhibit so we decided to go check it out again. What struck me most about this visit was how different Hogan was from last year. I remember last year that he spent a large amount of time running and trying to climb on things completely oblivious to all the hands-on exhibits like looking at the turtle shells or touching bones. I also remember steering clear of the sand pit last year because I knew that he would only go in and eat the sand.

This year he talked all through the exhibits, naming things, asking if they were "really" (his way of asking are they real and alive?) and telling us he wasn't scared (of the snakes or the big black stuffed bear). He actually used the brushes in the sand pit to uncover the fossils (although as you can see he had to have full contact with the sand, but no eating!). And was interested in viewing the animals and butterflies. I hadn't expected this trip to be some kind of measurement of his growth. It was exciting to see how much he's learned in a year.

Let's Play Ball! Huzzah!

2008-07-13T14:07:00.000-05:00

On Saturday we went to watch the Rawhide Creek Tanners play a baseball match against the Wichita Red Stockings. I guess there is a league of club nines that play old style. The Tanners are from the Dallas area and the Red Stockings traveled all the way from Wichita, KS to play this match. They play by the rules adopted by the National Association of (Amateur) Baseball players on March 14, 1860. Some of the differences in this match than present day baseball are: the ballists don't wear gloves, the horsehide is softer and is made out of a one-piece hand-stitched white or tan leather, the umpire may ask the players and rooters for assistance in making calls (very fun way for the cranks to join into the game), the bowler must pitch the ball underhanded, and sliding into a base is discouraged and deemed ungentlemanly.

Before the game started the baseball commissioner of the Dallas area came out and read the rules to us. Then, all the players introduced themselves by their actual name and their nickname. Supposedly back in 1860 every player had a nickname.

Here are some 19th century baseball slang for you that, if you'll notice, I tried to incorporate into the paragraph above:

club nine: team
bowler: pitcher
cranks: fans
huzzah: used to congratulate a player on a well played ball
ballist: player
horsehide: ball

Ballgame

2008-07-13T13:47:00.000-05:00

While Troy and I were watching the ballgame Hogan found lots of ways to entertain himself. We sat in this shaded area in front of a line of bushy trees, which provided a new space for Hogan to explore. He watched some older boys pick up sticks and hit at the trees to make them shake (picture 2) and soon after Hogan gave it a try (fourth picture). He also experimented with throwing toys into the trees and crawling in to find them. It was a fun Saturday adventure!

Swim Lessons

2008-07-11T07:00:00.000-05:00

dipping and swinging

practicing kicks

ring around the rosies

back rides

It was Troy's turn to be in the water for swim lessons last night so I was able watch and get some photos. Hogan loves swim lessons. I had some concerns before we started because this year he is bigger, smarter, and I wasn't sure if I could work with him in the water as easily as I did last year when he was smaller and less independent. However, this year has actually been easier because he can listen, follow directions, and he enjoys going under water. Troy and I are both excited about his progress!

sprinklers

2008-07-10T06:52:00.000-05:00

Have I ever mentioned that Hogan has more friends than Troy or I? His friend, the groundskeeper, stopped by our apartment yesterday to give Hogan a little ride on his golf cart and to turn on the sprinklers for him. We were the envy of every apartment tenant (at least all the ones 5 and under).

Lake

2008-07-10T06:48:00.000-05:00

No 4th of July weekend would be complete without a trip to the lake. It was busy with other people who the same idea, but that didn't stop it from being absolutely relaxing and refreshing. We're getting to be regular lake rats- and we love it!

Bocce Ball

2008-07-10T06:43:00.000-05:00

We also got out our bocce ball set on the 4th. Hogan was on Troy's team. As you can see from the pictures Hogan, as usual, had some new rules to suggest for the game.
Rule 1: when the other team is too far away to reach you quickly, grab their balls and toss them down the hole
Rule 2: it is okay to remove the boundary sticks as long as you charmingly smile while you do it
Rule 3: when you notice the other team is at an advantage, ride the inch worm through the balls to mix things up a bit

I suspect that Troy and Hogan had this all worked out beforehand. Luckily, despite their efforts, Tia and I were able to overcome and win the game!

Bob Armstrong

2008-07-10T06:37:00.000-05:00

Tia came over for the 4th and made yummy Bob Armstrong dip. For those of you who haven't had the opportunity to taste this delcious treat- let me tell you: queso with sausage, rotel tomato (just the rotel juice for us since Troy doesn't like tomatoes), a scoop of guacamole, a scoop of sour cream all mixed together to make the best chip dip ever!

4th of July

2008-07-10T06:34:00.000-05:00

We started off our day with a little 5K. Hogan was a great supporter and fun to talk to while we ran.

Bubbles

2008-07-07T12:13:00.000-05:00

I decided a couple of week ago that Hogan and I would explore the wonder of bubbles. I had plans of experimenting with different bubble solutions and bubble-blowing tools. There was a lot of negotiating between Hogan and I in order to find a bubble method that satisfied us both. Me- I draw the line at eating bubbles. Hogan- not so much into traditional ways of blowing bubbles. We found that using straws was the best compromise for us- you can just stick the straws into the solution, and blow into the solution and a bubble foam forms on top. Food coloring or washable paint also adds some excitement to blowing bubbles. I think I learned way more about how stubborn Hogan and I are than about bubbles- but definitely a fun exercise in patience and compromise!

Laughing with Oma

2008-07-07T12:05:00.000-05:00

Hogan got those deep down tummy laughs one afternoon while blowing bubbles with Oma.

The Lake

2008-07-07T12:04:00.000-05:00

We haven't the greatest lake/beach less than 30 minutes away from our house. It's the perfect place to build sand castles, feel waves, and laze on an inflatable raft.

Cousins

2008-07-07T11:40:00.000-05:00

The following conversation took place in the car between Hogan's friend L. and me. We were on our way back from a disastrous wedding event (never take a 2-year old to a wedding, no matter how short and casual the bride claims it will be!). We were babysitting L. for the evening and on our way home.

(The sound of Hogan screaming happily and kicking his feet is resonating through the car. Troy, who is maneuvering through Dallas traffic, is trying not to lose his temper in front of our 4-year old guest L.)

L: Why is Hogan screaming?

Me: Well, he's excited that you're here. He doesn't usually have friends sit in the back with him.

L: Doesn't he have any cousins?

Me: No, Hogan doesn't have any cousins.

L: Well, I could be his cousin (I think this was a desperate attempt to get Hogan to stop screaming).

(L. grabbed Hogan's hand and declared the two of them cousins.)

Hogan liked the idea of being cousins.

Hogan: This is my cousin L. (he has no idea what a cousin is)

L: This is my cousin Hogan.

(Unfortunately, Hogan continued to scream and Troy finally did end up losing his temper- sorry L. I guess since you're family now we can let down our masks!)

End of the year party

2008-07-07T11:29:00.001-05:00

On Hogan's last day of school, his teacher had a splash afternoon to celebrate. It was so fun to watch the kiddos. They've all become such good little friends. We were thankful that Hogan was in a place where he was loved and was able to learn the important social laws of life- like friends don't like to be tackled, sharing toys is important, and we all need the occasional time out!

Sand and Water Table

2008-05-18T13:08:00.000-05:00

With Spring came the introduction to the Sand and Water table, a Christmas present that we hadn't gotten to fully enjoy yet. This is the perfect late afternoon activity. I can sit and read on the porch; Hogan can get as messy as he needs to and we're all happy as we segue into dinner and bath (or sometimes bath and dinner depending on how messy Hogan needs to get!).

Sprinkler

2008-05-12T14:15:00.000-05:00

It was one of those humid, hot Austin days and Oma and Opa's new backyard was perfect for playing in the sprinkler. At first Hogan did not want to get his tummy wet, but after a few times of us running through the sprinkler together he was ready to venture out on his own. And then there was no getting him away from the water!

Cedar Park Train

2008-04-21T14:20:00.000-05:00

It seems like our life is about going from one train ride to the next. We found a fun little train ride when we went to visit Oma and Opa this past weekend. Trains are just exciting no matter the variable- short train rides, miniature engines, Thomas Tank Engine, scenery-filled train rides, round a circle train ride- you name it- we've seen it and I know this is just a start! We're not near done making the tour of Texas trains!

Pony Ride

2008-04-06T19:23:00.000-05:00

Hogan went on his first pony ride very soon after going on his very first real train ride. It was a day of fun firsts!

Day Out With Thomas

2008-04-06T19:18:00.000-05:00

Troy got nearly as excited as Hogan did when we saw Thomas. Troy couldn't believe he was so realistic looking- Thomas looks just like he does on TV only bigger! We even got to meet Sir Toppemhat. Hogan gave him a high 5!

Day Out With Thomas

2008-04-06T19:13:00.000-05:00

Thomas the train visited Texas and we got to see and ride him! Hogan could barely contain himself this morning. He even wore his conductor's hat long enough for Troy to take some cute pictures; although as time went on he looked less like a conductor and more like a hip-hop star (see last picture)- just add some bling and a grill and there you go!

Colored Eggs

2008-04-06T19:07:00.000-05:00

I wasn't sure about dyeing eggs with a 2- year old, but Nana went for it like a pro and Hogan loved it!

Egg Hunt

2008-04-06T19:04:00.000-05:00

Hogan had an egg hunt at his school. They practiced finding eggs all week long, so by this particular day they were all pros! However, egg hunting with toddlers is an interesting experience. It's not ALL about the eggs. They're very casual about finding the eggs and much more interested in taking a slide, stopping by some dirt to dig through it, climbing on the castle, picking flowers, etc. I will say that once Hogan realized that some of the eggs had marshmallows, cookies, and chocolate in them, he picked up his pace a bit (see picture 2- he's not messing around there!)

Trip to the Zoo

2008-04-06T18:56:00.000-05:00

Hogan loved feeding the goats at the zoo. I like the 3rd picture where he is offering his whole bowl to the goat- a perfect example of Hogan's generous spirit.