Meg is VIP

I did several entries, so please keep scrolling or going to the next page. Also, I still am not good at this so the ones about my parent's coming to visit are in reverse order, so if you want to know what is going on you'll have to read them that way. Sorry.

Meg is the VIP for her school this week. She got to bring home "Jules the Giraffe" and take pictures with him doing different things she likes. Meg is a great help to me, especially in the kitchen. She is making pizza here and she rolled that dough out all by herself! She is a very big girl. We are proud of our Meg.

Ike Brings on Another Mosquito Attack

Saturday night Charlie got another mosquito bite on the back of his ear even though he was sprayed with OFF from head to toe. They found a small area that wasn't covered behind his ear! We didn't know it until Sunday morning when it had swelled up as you see. I thought he had pulled his ear out of place or something. Tom had gone to Galvaston with the Stake for a big clean-up effort and I thought I would be taking Charlie to the emergency room until I realized it was just another mosquito bite. His ear was big, hot and red the entire day, sticking out from the side of his head. I took the kids to church on my own and got so many stares, it was pretty funny. Charlie didn't mind it at all though. Go figure.

We were worried about Tom down in Galvaston with his asthma. They were "mucking" out houses and there was a lot of mold, etc. He said that the smell was worse then he could have even imagined. We threw away the clothes he was wearing when he got home, we were so worried about staff, etc that could have been on them. He was fine though, and had a good time, I think. He was so tired though and went to bed very early. They worked very hard and I think they were very appreciated. They all wore bright yellow "Mormon Helping Hands" t-shirts and stood out from the rest. I think the locals are learning to look for the yellow shirts, they know who will get the job done!

Old McDonald's Farm

More of the tame deer. They were very odd! Charlie loved it!

Old McDonald's Farm

Meg got to go on a pony ride. Again, you're sort of just in charge there. So, Grandma put her on the horse and off they went. Meg was pretty nervous, but as you can see Charlie is the foreground could care less that there is a horse coming up on him. He loves all animals. Can you see his sweat-soaked hair in the last picture? He didn't even care how hot it was.

Old McDonald's Farm

While my parents were here, we went to Old McDonald's Farm where you pay a lot of money and then are sent out on your own to experience their wildlife. It was exciting to say the least. Also, it was 100 degrees outside and we were dying but the kids had the time of their life! When we first got there they had us buy some animal feed in a bag then you walk around the corner and are unexpectedly attacked by their oddly tame deer! I sort of freaked out which really made Meg panic and she started crying uncontrollably, but Charlie just went right up to them. He wasn't scared at all. He was the only one! They had a little train the went around the area that they rode on. Check out my dad's sunglasses! They're hot! Have I mentioned that he was the president of the chess club in high school!?

Grandma & Grandpa Rayburn's Visit

We had a lot of fun when Grandma and Grandpa Rayburn came to visit us. The first picture was our trip to the pool in our complex. Charlie loves riding in the wagon, while Meg loves being in charge of pulling it. We went down the the Houston Zoo. It is in a really pretty area near the Medical Center (I think that's what it's called). We think Charlie is a little "Mini-Me" of Grandpa. It was a football Saturday and we got a lot of looks from the Texans because Tom had us in our Ohio State garb. HA!

Meg's First Day of School

Meg started at a new pre-school this year that is just down the road from us. It is very small, but we love it. I wanted to show everyone my little OCD girl. Notice how she laid out her clothes the night before school started. They were right next to her bed, so when she got up in the morning she could put them on right as her feet hit the floor. Even the underwear and socks and laid under her skirt and shoes. That is a small example of how her room looks. Everything she owns has a special home in her room and if you dare to move something, she will know and it will be back in it's proper location the next time you enter. Charlie now knows that he is not allowed to enter her room (she's worried he might disturb her organization) so he just stands in her doorway and yells, "MEG!" until she comes out. Poor Charlie!