Hunter is 12 years old...Wow!

As a parent I think each year goes faster than the last. I truly can't believe that Hunter turned twelve this week. I remember so clearly bringing him home from Cox South Hospital. He is a delightful son. We love Hunter so much. I have more pictures that need to make their way to the blog. But for now, this picture is a memory of his birthday dinner at Beck's Prime.

Smart Girl

The boys find it very amusing that if they ask Collins a question with two possible answers, she will always answer with the latter option that they present. Let me give you an example.

Boys: Collins, do you like pink or red?
Collins: Red!
Boys: Collins, do you like red or pink?
Collins: Pink!

Well, Collins is definitely getting smarter. This is the conversation they had with her last week.

Boys: Collins, do you like apples or ice cream?
Collins: Ice cream!
Boys: Collins, do you like ice cream or apples?
Collins: App...ice cream!
Boys: Ok, Collins, try again. Do you like apples or bananas?
Collins: Ice cream!

The Little Ones

Poor Holden was so tired this weekend that he fell asleep in his bouncer.

Trying to get a good picture of the babies...and this is the best we came up with. We will try again!

Collins

Collins slept in the same room with Connor and Colton while the Engrams were here. This conversation took place one night after the lights were out.

Collins: "Bruders? Bruders? Where are you"
Connor: "I'm here Collins"
Collins: "Where Colton?"
Connor: "He's on the top bunk."
Collins: "Weally? Awesome!"

Friends!

What a fun weekend it was to have Amy, Hayden and Lincoln Engram in Houston. We played, talked and enjoyed this brief reunion. How sweet it was to have a dear friend in town. Here's hoping we can do it again soon!

NASA Space Center Houston

Hayden Engram flew in to town and we celebrated Hunter's birthday with cupcakes and a trip to NASA.  We got a backstage tour from an engineer from NASA who attends our church. Pictured are some of the modules in which the astronauts train.  The boys also were able to see robots that are able to be used for planetary exploration.

The world's largest telescoping arm, similar to what is used by space shuttle.

This is like an RV on the surface of a planet.

This is a vehicle for exploring planets.  The suit is actually connected to the vehicle so that an astronaut merely climbs into the attached suit from the inside of the vehicle, thus never leaves the vehicle.

This is the training cockpit of a space shuttle.

Mission Control.  "One small step for man..."  Apollo 13 movie was filmed here, too.

"Houston, we have a problem."  But not to fear.... Hunter and Carter are calling Batman.

GREAT displays!

It took me a little coaxing to get Hunter to go along with this photo.

There are several great games that everybody enjoyed.

Colton is controlling a mars rover..... A REAL one that is in a viewing chamber!   Collins is...climbing.

Collins

How can a 2-year-old little girl seem so big? Collins really amazes us all the time with the things she knows and words she tells us. Last week it was time for dinner and I called all the kids to the table. All the boys arrived, but Collins did not. I went to look for her and she was in the bathroom. I knew she had been brushing her teeth, but now she was applying chapstick. When I asked her to come to dinner, she looked at me and said, "One minute mom." It was so cute!