Balloon fun!

Something we have discovered since moving to Texas is that hot-air balloons are not an uncommon sight. In Washington, we may catch them once or twice a year. In our part of Texas, it is possible to see them nearly every Saturday or Sunday and the occasional weekday during good weather. Anyway, today, we went to the Plano Balloon Festival with some friends from our small group. We had one of the best times we've had in Texas. It was quite exciting and we took lots of pictures so please bear with me and enjoy!

This is the common positon while balloon watching
Lindsay wasn't too excited about this picture but we thought it was cool.
After all the balloons that are going to take off, take off, the "Just for Looks" balloons come out and as the sun goes down they do something called a "glow" The bunny and the cow on the right are demonstrating.

Go Blue??

Michigan Football. The winningest team ever!! Not this year! OH & 2!! Who would of thunk it??

I want to thank many of you for your phone calls and emails over the last two weeks. I think some of you have wanted to call and rub it in, but really feel bad for me (at least that is what I am telling myself).

To be honest, I think this is a really good thing because it is time for Lloyd Carr to step down and turn the Wolverines over to a new coach. Someone with a new mind set and who is able to handle the new spread offenses that are being played by many colleges, and after the results of the last two weeks.......WILL BE played by many more colleges very soon.

Anyway, the reason I was prompted to post on college football is because tomorrow at 2:30pm (central time) I have a choice! I have the Michigan/Notre Dame game on ABC. I heard one commentator say this past week that both programs would be 0-3 if they were not playing each other.......he might be right. OR, I can watch the 2-0 Washington Huskies with their new freshman quarterback (who is a stud) on ESPN. The bonus of the Washington game is they will be playing the Ohio State Buckeyes. I would love to see the Huskies win and hit the Buckeyes with their first loss of the season.

Anyway, think of me tomorrow when I am flipping between both games. Feel free to give me a call as you are doing the same. I find that I am pulling for the Huskies without really trying to. You know you are pulling for a team when you look Monday mornings to see where that team is in the national rankings. I actually did that for Washington this week. With a win this tomorrow, you should expect to see them in the top 25 on Monday. After all of their turmoil over the last six years, it is exciting to see them playing well with the hope of a great season. It is amazing to think that the coach(Ty Willingham) of the 2-0 Washington Huskies was fired by Notre Dame three years ago who is about to go 0-3.

Enjoy the college games tomorrow, you know I will!

Katie Bauslaugh

(JK...this is Lance)

It is a ZOO in Texas!!

Tonight in about 20 minutes we saw fireflies, bunny rabbits, and our first TEXAS TARANTULA!!!! We did not have our camera with us, so this is my best shot with my phone in the dark with the headlights pointed at him. I was about four feet away with my arm extended out. Katie picked her feet up off of the van's floor boards, as if the spider had the power to jump through the van door. :-) The big spider was about the size of a softball. When we got home we were talking about our night and Lindsay said, "IT IS A ZOO IN TEXAS!!!"



Once we were home, we had another first! The TEXAS TWO YEAR OLD went potty on the big girl potty!!!! Here is a picture of her eating her candies for her reward.

I have to brag on my Wife

We had Lindsay enrolled in preschool at our church. It was three half-days a week at $187 a month. Not bad, but we thought about it and really began to feel that Katie could provide the same and Leslie would also benefit. The only bummer would be the lack of social interaction she would get at the church preschool. WELL....

Katie did it and boy did she. She started a 38 week program this week. She is doing curriculum for both girls to meet their needs at their ages. She is getting direction from a website that you can check it out here. Below are a few pictures. The girls are really liking it!!!

Pics from August

It's been a while but here are some pictures from August:


Hitting up a State Patrolman for a quarter before hitting the tollway in Oklahoma at 12 am or so.

A visit with our friends in Sioux Falls, SD. We spent Sunday with the Grubers on their last day of "official" vacation. We got a family picture at the falls.

We stayed with Aunt Bonnie and Uncle Tim in Emery, SD.
We spend a weekend with Aunt Cathy and Uncle Bob in Madison, WI. It was fun to catch up with them and pretty eventful with a flooded basement at 2:40 in the morning.
A stop for dinner with Debra and a tour of her really cute house.
Now that is a Pizza! Real Chicago style, in the Chicago area.
Can you guess which famous people once lived in these houses? Hint: They are all in Illinois. (Leave your answers in a comment, I'll follow up with the correct answers in a few days)

A
B

C

Branson, Missouri
Fun Water fountain

The Arkansas Ozarks, on our last day.

A big sorry and a Dr Appointment

OK so the slide show thing only works if you have a Myfamily.com sign in. Sorry. It is really cool though because the slide show of Lindsay's birthday "get together" runs while Lance and Lindsay are talking about the day she turned 4. So I apologize to those who do not have a myfamily.com sign in!

Today both girls had their annual Dr appointment. These visits are always fun because you get to find out fun things like where they stand in the percentiles (where they stand among a hundred other children their age) and how they are developing not to mention the fun of the shots. Can you guess which girl is in the 92nd percentile for height and which is in the 75th? Would you believe that Leslie is only 3 inches shorter than Lindsay? I guess that gives it away. And I guess we know which girl will take after which parent! I should have known the way Leslie eats like Lance and Lindsay eats like me. Also, Leslie's head circumference is in the 97th percentile. Both girls did really well in their appointment today, even with the shots. The girls are healthy, I couldn't ask for anything more!

Lindsay's 4th Birthday Cake

More Birthday Fun

Sarah and Tyson came over tonight to go the pool and do some much needed catching up. They brought the girls a cookie cake.

Thank you for the blue icing!!! It was the best!

I can fly, I can fly, I can fly, I can fly!!!

What movie??? Lindsay has gotten into Peter Pan this summer. Here we are pretending to fly to never-never land.

Dum Dum Da Dum

Yeah!! Brent and Kristin are now man and wife, and Lindsay made it down the aisle, almost. It was a great night and Kristin was beautiful!! Lance was so excited for his brother he couldn't wipe the smile off his face. The rain threatened to ruin pictures but with some pink umbrellas and an awesome photographer, the pictures will be amazing! (The photographer is my friend from College, check out her work at http://www.maijakarinphotography.com/ she is amazing!! And if you check the site, you will probably see some familiar faces)

Some funny stories:

At the rehearsal Lindsay noticed a sign on the pavilion doors that had a crossout circle with a doggy in it and she said "that means no doggies in here." Then she turned to the other sign that had a smoking cigarette with a crossout circle and she said "That means you should put your tray tables up." So Funny!! I guess you can tell our little four year old is a seasoned traveller.

At the wedding, Lindsay took some coaxing to get her down the aisle. I walked with her a way and then faded out hoping she wouldn't notice that I disappeared Then she stopped in the middle of the aisle and covered her face. Some how she got to where she needed to turn and then Grandpa Gordie caoxed her onto the stage. She was too wiggly during the ceremony so I brought her to my seat and then when it was time to go back, I put a pack of the mints from the table in her basket and told her that she could eat them when she got back to the end of the aisle. She Made it all on her own that time, but covered her face the entire time, not wanting anyone to look at her.

Well, Brent and Kristin are on their way to Jamaica tonight. Lance and I were talking about how great it would be to be in their shoes taking their first steps together with nothing but possibility ahead of them. We are starting to feel a little like old married people these days. :-) But loving every minute of it.

Us with our buddies the Grubers

Lindsay and Leslie playing 'it's a jolly holliday"
Kristin, about to see Brent.

A great looking group The Bauslaugh Family
Blind flower girl

"Practice"

I can't tell you how proud I am of the little girl in this picture. Lindsay is the BEST flower girl. She very carefully throws out the flowers at the rehearsal on Wednesday. Now, if only we could practice 3 times on Saturday, it would be great!! :-)

House/Doggy Sitting

While we are here in Washington, we are house/doggy sitting for some friends. I'm calling it doggy therapy for my dog-fearing children. Total emersion therapy at that. It seems to be working:

Pics from Chelan

Leslie Lounging in the pool

Leslie catching the water dripping from her swim diaper

Lindsay playing with her shadow

Lance and Bobby on the tubes.

Look Ma, No Hands

A walk with Great Grandpa and Grammie and Auntie
Sno cones with daddy

Boat ride into town for BreakfastSad to say goodbye!

Week at Lake Chelan!

Anyone who knows us knows that Chelan is our absolutely favoritest place on earth. So you know that a whole week at Lake Chelan was a dream come true!! We spent the entire time either on the lake or at the pool with a few naps in between. SO MUCH FUN!! We will post the pictures as soon as I can find my camera cord.
This week we are getting ready for the big wedding and house/dog sitting for our friends Kim and Brian. (more on both later)

Happy Birthday America!! And Grammie, and Aunt Linda!!

Wow, today is a day for birthdays. And as (mom) Grammie says, "The fireworks are all for me!" And knowing my Grammie, I'll bet she was absolutely thrilled to have a baby on this day.