Sunday, June 5, 2011

Daddy Hobbies

Daddy is rediscovering many of his old hobbies as the boys get older and can share them with him - kites, TRON, model rockets!!! In fact, Daddy now considers himself a Born Again Rocketeer (BAR) and has started building kits that have been sitting around for a long time and adding new ones to them. He has built and decorated a couple of rockets with Kevin and even Alan is having a blast counting down to the lift off!


A Penguin kite at the park


Alan couldn't wait to hold his own kite


Brothers flying


Building rockets with our friends


Getting ready to fly his rocket for the first time!


Daddy and Mister Scott retrieve one of the rockets


Blast off!


Watching the rockets


Kevin and Daddy head to the launch pad


Ready...


... set...


...blast off!


Kevin's rocket comes down with helicopter blades


More rockets!

Friday, June 3, 2011

SeaWorld Splash Pad

SeaWorld did a big makeover of Shamu's Happy Harbor this past year. We were sad to see the shaded foam pit go, but the area, renamed the Sesame Street Bay of Play, now has an amazing splash pad. Mommy and Kevin went on a date today, checking out the dolphins, coral reef and sharks first as usual. After some lunch, we hit the new splash pad. There was lots of falling, squirting, dumping, and arcing water to play in!


Kevin hugs a cool character on this very hot day


Waiting for the water...


Dump!


Splashing toes...


Catch!

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Kevin is six years old!

Kevin turned six on Memorial Day! We had a party at the Little Gym where Kevin has celebrated many of his little friends birthdays over the last year with great fun. Kevin and Alan had a great time running amok all over the gym, and then enjoying cupcakes and ice cream.


Taking a jump off the balance beam


And again!


Everyone loves bubbles!


Smack the cheese!


Bamn!


Getting ready to hop!


... squish!


Mmmm, ice cream!


Cupcakes!


Hurray for cake!

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[video - Smack the Cheese!]



[slideshow]

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo

With Alan's cast removed this morning, we decided to spend the afternoon at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and enjoy the nice weather. The RMH had tickets to the stock show for us as well as the carnival. The first place we hit was the pig races. Alan thought they were hilarious, but Kevin kept looking out the tent towards the little dragon roller coaster, so Daddy took him for his first roller coaster ride when the races were done.



Daddy rode with him but Kevin was having so much fun we figured he didn't need us on these kiddie-sized rides any more.



Ford was one of the sponsors of the Rodeo, so they had a big display, complete with a mini dirt track for RC vehicles. But Daddy and Kevin were more interested in the Mustangs!



Then we went into the butterfly house, where Kevin got to hold a few butterflies. Alan was content to sit back and watch them fly back and forth past him.



Kevin's next stop was the Survival Island obstacle course. He had so much fun going through he did it twice! It started with a climb up the net...



... and finished off with a slide and a high five!



Then we went through the Fun on the Farm exhibit. Kevin had a great time going through the "farm" feeding chickens, gathering eggs and veggies, and "milking" a cow. They had a little tractor for him to ride...



... and then a great BIG one!





Look at the size of those wheels compared to the boys!



At the end, Kevin "sold" his goods at the farmer's market and earned a treat.



We then went inside to the stock show and saw everything from baby piglets and lambs, to soft fuzzy rabbits all the way to a gigantic longhorn with shoulders taller than my head! Kevin was quite excited when he saw the pony ride so we got in line...



Kevin did great riding the pony all by himself. When things settle down a little we will have to look into some hippotherapy for him. Daddy took this picture of him and captioned it "I'm on a horse!" - Kevin does a pretty good imitation of the Old Spice Guy.



Alan decided to nap for a while.



We went back through the carnival on our way back to the car from the stock show. We shot a few hoops and even Kevin gave it a try. Then Kevin saw an airplane ride he wanted to try.



Then Daddy found a shooting game - shoot the postage-stamp sized star out of a postcard-sized piece of paper and you win a bike (they also had a wagon and some really cute tricycles hauling a little covered wagon). Sounds easy enough right? The fellow at the stall even demonstrated it. It took all our tickets and lot of attempts, some of them very close, but Daddy finally did it!



We decided to go with the wagon. There was a lot of excitement when they brought it down, and it looked much bigger close up. For a moment, we weren't sure we'd be able to fit it in the car! But after a long afternoon walking around the rodeo, Kevin sure liked the ride!

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

The Children's Museum

While at MD Anderson for Alan's medical appointments, we took a break to visit the Children's Museum of Houston.

Still a little woozy from the anesthesia for his scans this morning, Alan started off slow with a bead maze in the Tot Spot.



After checking himself out in the mirrored foam area, Alan decided he was ready to take a stroll.



Then Alan decided to play with the balls on the pinball wall.



Up, up...



... and away!



In the mean time, Kevin found himself some wheels.



Alan then abandoned the pinball wall for the pinwheel flowers.



Now feeling much more energized, Alan started cruising across the tot bridge...



... over the hills...



... and down the steps!



Then it was time to circle the round race track and send some cars flying.



After leaving the Tot Spot, Kevin decided to check out the Power Play feature.



It was fun climbing up and down the discs to get to the bottom floor.







Downstairs, there was a snowboard/skiing room.



Kevin and Daddy hang ten.



Kevin finishes up our visit with a hop onto a big bike!