Sand sculptures and the Lexington

Figured I better update before May officially hits us. This has been a busy month for us. JD had his first big trial and it lasted a week and a half. He was gone a lot during that so we were really glad when it was over. Luckily trials like that are not too often and it was a really great learning experience for JD. 

 One Saturday we went to the Museum of Science and natural history. It was interesting to learn a little more about Corpus Christi. 

This was a Sunday walk Cami and I took while Dad was working during the trial.

Our celebration dinner once the trial was over! JD had a couple half days off once it was done, one of which he spent taking a long much deserved nap. The next day we drove out to the beach and built sandcastles and JD caught a fish which we took home and he grilled up for dinner. It was pretty yummy. I am not a fish person, but fresh fish doesn't taste very fishy and is really light and flaky. 

Registered Cami for kindergarten in the fall!! Can't believe my little Pinochle is going to be going to school! 

At the Beach after Dad's trial ended!

Parade for Windfest. Better than I expected but not more that you might think for a small town.

Out to Dairy Queen, and no she didn't finish the whole thing..Dad underestimated how big a medium dipped cone was :)

Cami with her preschool class. It has been so fun for her.

Cami's last soccer game. It was a bit of a season. Practices and games got shuffled around a bit because of all the rain we had this spring and our team struggled a bit to "get" the game, but they were all super happy about the medals. I guess it is the little things that matter. Cami enjoyed it and we will try out soccer camp and fall soccer and see if she wants to keep playing. I don't plan on coaching though. It was fun, but I still don't have a clue what I am doing :)

This last weekend we went to see the Lexington, which is an aircraft carrier docked next to the bay. They have turned it into a museum and it is pretty cool. Very big and lots to explore. We were there for 3 hours and still didn't see everything. It was fun, and very good exercise!

They had a bunch of photo op things that were fun.

On the deck!

JD and Cami walking the plank. 

You can see a big oil ship coming in in the background

Cami steering the ship.

Sandfest was this last weekend and we drove out Sunday evening to see the sand sculptures. They were pretty incredible. I had no idea you could do that with sand.

It was pretty awesome. The video below is from the deck of the Lexington when the oil ship came in. If you look close at the stern you can see dolphins!

Easter fun

April has been a busy month for JD...He has had a big trial and so he has had some late nights and weekends working, which is not so very fun for us, but has been a great learning experience. Last week we had some Easter fun. Cami had three egg hunts and we enjoyed time with friends over Easter, even though JD was busy most of it. 

Wednesday Cami had a preschool class Easter Egg hunt.

Thursday was storytime and they had a library Easter Egg Hunt and the Easter bunny, who inadvertently terrorized some little ones from being just a tad creepy looking...lucky for me Cami is not very scared of anything.

Friday was a fun day, It was Good Friday so JD was supposed to have it off, then work happened and so he was busy so Cami and I drove up to San Antonio and went to Disney on Ice: Frozen. It was fun although it required me to be an adult and drive in a big city by myself, which is not one of my favorite things, but I managed. The drive up was absolutely beautiful! I love Texas in the spring and all the wildflowers! They are amazing! Unfortunately I was driving so I didn't get any pictures, but it was beautiful!

After we got back JD got off work and we drove out to the beach and hung out with some friends from the ward and roasted marshmallows and Cami collected seashells and dug in the sand. It was a beautiful sunset, although this picture doesn't do it justice.

Saturday we enjoyed egg hunt number three...good thing I was recycling eggs right? This was with friends from the ward. Mostly it was a chance to get out and stretch our legs between sessions of conference, which went well despite JD being at work so I was parenting alone while trying to watch. Cami is getting much better at letting me watch. Conference by the way, was amazing. There was so much I needed to hear. I am so grateful for a living prophet and apostles! 

Sunday JD was able to spend the morning with us before going into work so we dyed eggs and read the Easter story with our Resurrection Eggs. Cami's basket was simple and I really tried to teach her that the true meaning of Easter is about the Savior and His Resurrection. I know He lives and that His life, sacrifice and example make it possible for us to live again, and to overcome all the hard stuff that we will encounter in this life!

Cami in her Easter dress! Thanks Nana and Grandpa!

Cami has been joining me for mutual activities since JD has been busy, last Wednesday we did some Just Dance at the end of our activity and Cami joined right in. I love how confident they are at this age and how unembarrassed they are. So unfettered by the self consciousness we impose as we get older.

Cami making up an alphabet song to a puzzle she has. I didn't get the first part, but you get the idea. She makes me laugh everyday.

 Blue Bonnet Pictures!! Usually I try to do our whole family, but getting time with JD in daylight hours was difficult this year so I decided to do them with Cami. She is such a character. I love her red hair against the backdrop of green and blue.

 She was acting out a story from an Elephant and Piggy book. If you haven't read those they are so fun.  by Mo Willems...

Soccer Girl

Here are some photos from Cami's soccer games. We have had 4 of our 6 games and so our season is over half way finished but we have had a lot of fun. The girls have improved, especially Cami in understanding how to play. Cami is very fast and energetic so that helps. She seems to like it quite a bit so we might try some summer camps and soccer this fall. I have enjoyed coaching and I have learned a lot. The girls are so cute and fun and I am glad I did it although I really don't think I want to do it again. 

 Our first game, it was a little chilly out!

 second game! Love this cute face!

Cami giving me a thumbs up after she got a goal! She was so excited!

Last weekend we had our 3rd and 4th games, unfortunately Cami had a fever and missed the first game and tried to play the second after her fever broke, but she was tired as all the girls were. Double headers are tough, especially for little girls. It has been fun to watch each girl grow this season and get it a little more each time. We still have some meltdowns but they are so cute to watch and play with! 

This was from our first game and was pretty representative of the whole game...Cami running wild in the field. She has definitely improved!

Second game was better.