Going Bananas

It's truly amazing how quickly the kids grow. Wesley is now enjoying more "solid" foods and sitting in her big sister's highchair. Any day now she's going to have one pearly white to show off in her constant big smiles she has for everyone around her. And, she's even sitting alone for a bit and trying to scoot on her belly to the toys she wants. Quinn's vocabulary expands everyday and it's hilarious to hear phrases that I suppose we say all too often around here. One of the cutest is "just a moment, please".

Here's Quinn and her kitty which she loves to feed and diaper as if it were her own little baby.

Wesley enjoying the excersaucer.

Getting ready for dinner.


Enjoying rice cereal and bananas.

Wesley tries to grab anyting and everything within her grasp. She's pretty quick so it's a challenge to get a spoonful of food in her mouth before she grabs it and makes a big mess.

Lions and Tiger and Bears!

This weekend we went to Houston for a quick getaway. We packed up on Friday morning and spent Friday afternoon poolside. Saturday morning we went to the Houston Zoo, napped as a family that afternoon after a short dip in the pool and ate at one of our favorite restaurants - despite a power outage in the middle of our meal. We all had a great time!

Heather and Quinn enjoy a refreshing smoothie by the pool.

Mike, Wesley and margarita (not pictured) by the pool.

The girls just prior to taking the plunge.


The whole family fresh from the shower in their plush robes.

Quinn poses with the flower that accompanied her "Astro dog" dinner.

The McClures after just watching the sea lions.

Heather and Quinn with one of Heather's favorite animals.

Wesley enjoying the zoo.

Quinn enjoying the petting zoo.

Wesley wakes up!

Quinn absolutley LOVED her first carousel ride.

Her first ride was quickly followed by her second ride.

Quinn drinking from the lion waterfountain.

This is a tribute to a photo of Heather taken about 30 years earlier

at the same zoo with a very similar water fountain.

The gang riding the Hermann Park Express.

Daddy and his girls...

Quinn enjoying her slightly-oversized-but-still-cute robe for the last time.

A Day of Firsts

Today was a monumental day in the McClure home. Quinn took her first official swimming lesson and Wesley ate her first "solid" food.

Here's Quinn dressed in her swimsuit and cover-up digging in her new swim bag. In her swim bag she keeps her towel, sunglasses and SPF 50 sunscreen. She loved her first swimming lesson although as she says she "spit up" from drinking so much pool water. She was pretty advanced at the swimming portion but really needs to focus on keeping her mouth closed.

Here's Wesley moments before she enjoyed her first serving of rice cereal, although it was quite thin in consistency. Everytime she ate a spoonful and I said "Mmmmm" as I instinctually did she would crack up laughing. We're going to stick with the cereal once a day for a week or so before we start introducing new grains then fruits and veggies. It's amazing how fast they grow!

Happy Fourth of July!

We hosted a barbecue to celebrate the 4th with some great friends. Although it was 100 degrees everyone had a great time! Mike woke at 5am to begin the long process of smoking a brisket, some sausage and two chickens. This was his first time to use the smoker he received for his birthday and the results were finger licking good!

Quinn "helps" make the cupcakes.

Wesley watches us prepare.

Heather and Wesley are ready for the party to start!

Linnea, Zailey and Zander Falk

Rory and Angie Behnke

Quinn took a late nap in order to make sure she could stay up for fireworks.

When she woke she was camera shy for a few minutes.

Quinn, Kate and Miles enjoyed driving the Jeep around the backyard while the grown ups played traffic patrol to prevent any collisions with trees.

Quinn enjoyed her first sparkler.

Quinn enjoys her second, third and each subsequent sparkler. She also loved all of the fireworks that followed. She would ask for "more, more way up there".

Kate liked the sparklers but didn't much care for the loud fireworks that followed.

The night was a blast although we are sorry that we missed getting any photographic representation of a few other families including the McClures, the Zunigas, and the Perry's.