Carnival Holiday

Ray and I went on a cruise this past week! The kids stayed with Nonny and Poppy. We had a great time. We went to Costa Maya and Cozumel. This was the sunset over the Gulf of Mexico one night. Ray and I visited the Chacchoben Mayan ruins at the Costa Maya port

Costa Maya port with our ship in the background. The water is so beautiful, it's harder to tell in this picture, but the water is this perfect shade of turquoise and you can see down forever it seems. It was beautiful and we had a great time.

Raining at Nonny's house

The kids had lots of fun with their new umbrellas

Ray's Residency Graduation

Ray graduated from the Family Practice Residency program at Darnall on May 22nd. His family came to Texas for it. The graduation was a military ceremony with a band and color guard. Here he is receiving an award from the commander of the hospital.
The kids were not in picture taking mood.
Ray, Dr. Wallace (the residency director), SGT Miller, Katie, and Dave

Here comes baby number 3!!!

That's right...I'm pregnant again! The new addition to the family will be arriving around January 18th. So many possibilities with this one. We've learned we have a genetic gambling machine going. Will they be dark or light? Above average growth or below? Calm or hyper? The first two seem to be polar opposites in so many ways. It will be interesting to see what the third is like. I will keep everyone up to date with progress. I'm excited about posting ultrasounds! woohoo! I can't wait to find out if it's a boy or a girl, but that will be another 10 weeks or so.

The day of the wedding

This is one of my favorite pictures of JuJu. We had to hold her down to get her into the dress, then she cried for 15 mins. She then refused to walk down the aisle and I had to carry her. Then at the reception, the dress got covered with chocolate, strawberries, dirt from playing out side and a vanilla shake on the way home. She is doing her ballerina impression here. She's such an elegant dancer!

The day after the wedding

Tubing at Belton Lake

Yesterday we went to Belton Lake with some friends from church, it was kind of a farewell get- together for us and two of the other residents that are graduating and leaving also. We played at the playground, went tubing, had hot dogs and s'mores and had water balloon fights. The kids loved it. Donna and Barbara (our neighbors) were also able to come with us.Juliette at the top of the climbing wall

Donna, Barbara and Christina went on first.

I think this was after the first time we had gotten thrown off. Jay, Christina's dad, tried very hard to knock us off, and he succeeded! We were pretty tough though, if I say so myself.

Donna being hauled in. I wish I would have gotten pictures of the scenery. It's beautiful out there. The water was the perfect temp and pretty clear. There was a waterfall, and it's all very hilly and pretty.

Shamu!

Sea World is all about Shamu. Unfortunately, I didn't get to see about half of the show because JuJu had to go potty. That's life!

I love my new camera, it has a great zoom function.

Awwww...she loves her orca.

Sea World

We went to Sea World this weekend! Active duty military and their families get a free pass each year. Donna was able to come with us too.

Mesmerized by the sea horses

The dolphins were very active and they were right in front of us. We got pretty wet from them splashing.

Juliette's Birthday party

My baby's growing up!
She's 4!

The birthday girl...you gotta love Hello Kitty cupcakes

The dads...Ray, Ryan, and Dave (3 of the 5 third year FP residents)

Why yes, I am enjoying this cupcake

So many presents! Happy birthday!

Gideon's birthday pics

Lots of kids! We had about 24 people at the party

Ca-chow! (what Gideon calls Lightning McQueen)

The classic cake on the mouth picture

Our neighbor Barbara painted "Ca-chow" and we played pin the lucky sticker (the lightning bolt)

The first time he met his favorite shoes. :)

Five inches!

This was the mound of snow piled up against the deck gate.

Say goodbye to my petunias!

• 

Oops! I didn't think there was that much snow...he's got Crocs on underneath that.

The snowman in the neighbor's yard, complete with a six pack.

Snow in April!!!

Isn't that crazy?!

And the next assignment is...

Fort Polk!

As of the beginning of July, we will once again be Louisianians.

Bataan Memorial Death March

Last weekend, Ray marched in the Bataan Memorial Death March. It's a 26 mile march in the desert near White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. He went with three of the other residents that are graduating with him this year, and some other colleagues from the Darnall Family Practice clinic. You have to have a group of five and all have to finish within 20 seconds of each other. If one gets injured or disqualified or can't make it, you all get disqualified. A quarter of those who start don't finish. They finished it in 8 hours and 40 minutes. Ray said his feet never hurt that bad in his life. A lot of the march was uphill, and some through sand. The scenerty was beautiful though. This is Dave's back, by the end his entire heels were blisters and bleeding. He's still recovering.
The two in front here with linked arms are married, she's one of the other residents, Katie. Mike got back from Iraq a few months ago. She had to have two toenails removed afterwards.

The guys taking a rest and changing socks. Since it's a march, they all had to be in combat boots.
They had a flag made up with the Darnall Family Practice crest on it, and took turns carrying it.

There were over 4000 participants. There were heavy and light divisions, the group did the light. In the heavy, you bring a 35 lb. pack. There were some of the survivors of the Bataan Death March there and they were able to meet them and shake hands. Ray's there on the bottom right. We're very proud of them!