Going on a Dinosaur Walk

It is a rare moment when it is a holiday and Lance doesn't have to work or go to school. So we loaded up and headed to the Heard Natural Science Museum and Wildlife Sanctuary in McKinney today. The Dinosaurs Alive exhibit is there through the end of January. All of the eight dinosaurs along the outside path were life-sized and would move and growl.

The Sweeney family being served as the dinosaur's lunch. As you walked through it's mouth and neck, you could see the realistic size of its internal organs.

Zachary getting his dinosaur growl on.


Zachary being so brave in front of the 46 foot tall T-Rex.



Madison didn't mind the dinosaurs that were about her size. . .



but she didn't mind having daddy carry her as the dinosaurs got bigger in size and sound.

Madison wasn't as afraid of the dinosaurs after she found her fighting stick, but daddy was very afraid of it.

Family Pictures

You wouldn't think that it would take over 2 years to coordinate and organize a family picture. It seems to be the case in this house. I do have to laugh that there is a pattern that I must be pregnant to make it come to pass. The last family picture was taken when I was 3 months along with Madison. I wasn't really showing and black is a girl's best friend. Being almost 6 months along now, black wasn't going to hide much, so I went for color for the whole family.

Zachary kindly helping his sister look at the camera. Such innocence in those eyes!

Best friends!

the Queens of the house- Mommy and Madison

The boys in the house-Daddy and Zachary

The Sweeney Group, at least until May =)

Smart thinking

Happy New Year! The kids spent the day playing with all their Christmas treasures while I decided to clean out and organize their rooms. I had stayed in my pajamas, knowing that I wasn't going anywhere for the day. It was around 11 am and I asked Zachary to change out of his pajamas. He looked at me innocently and replied "But you are still in your pajamas." So I told him that he was correct and that we would both get out of our pajamas later. His thinking skills are getting scary.

It looks like candy...it must be candy!

Madison insisted that the foil-wrapped chicken bullion cubes were really candy. Zachary even tried to tell her from his experience with the cubes, but she had to make sure for herself.

But there was still the beef bullion cubes on the top shelf, and those must be candy- or so she thought. Funny girl!

There's a COUGAR in the house!

Lance is going back to school. The original plan was to complete a Masters in Mechnical Enginerring at UTD. Easy enough, right?

As we got more into the process, he realized that his previous undergrad degree (electrical engineering) wasn't compatible to apply to the mechanical engineering master's program. So the new game plan is to complete another undergrad degree, this time in mechanical engineering. A lot of his previous schooling credits will transfer, so he will be a junior at the end of this semester. He has talked to his academic advisor and we will be able to enter the Master's program his senior year. GO TEAM!

He will be taking majority of his classes at the University of Texas at Dallas, but a few generals at the local community college. (MUCH CHEAPER!) I walked past the computer while he was registering for classes at the local community college and realized their mascot was a cougar! The children and I have our BYU cougar shirts, and now Lance doesn't have any excuse not to wear one now. A cougar shirt is coming your way once I look at my options on the BYU bookstore website.

Can't wait to have Daddy in the picture with his cougar shirt next time!

Grandma's Legacy

My Grandma is the world to many people. First to Grandpa, who has her in his arms again tonight. Then to my mom, who strives to be like her every day. And to me, who has enjoyed my French lineage (mixes well with Lance's English and Irish =) ) and for teaching me life is what you make of it. Grandma had her fair share of ups and downs, but she has gone on. Life is one step in front of the other.

I will continue to cherish the porcelain doll we made from scratch together many summers ago.

She was a good sport to be our yearly measuring pole. By sixth grade I celebrated that I was taller than Grandma's 5 foot frame.

She was wonderful to let me stop by on a needed get-away weekend from college. Plus being able to do laundry without quarters was a bonus!

Among many talents was her able to gather and organize family history. She and Grandpa were able to compile histories and family trees and published a set for each grandchild. But I was always intrigued by her history. Coming across the Atlantic Ocean as a young child, seeing a sister being buried at sea, and coming to America with little hope of ever returning to France.

But most of all, thank you Grandma for the best gift you could of given me, my mom. We will all miss you.

My mom holding Zachary (2), Grandma Aagard, me holding Madison (2 weeks old)

Growing Pains- Part 2

Zachary is not having a good week. We are contemplating fitting him for a helmet. Then he might make it to his fourth birthday without suffering major brain trauma.

This evening Zachary saw the water sprinkler on in the front yard. He ran into his room and put on his swim shorts. When he asked if we could go outside, I couldn't say no. So we all went out to play. Soon our neighbors turned on their rainbow sprinkler. Zachary wanted to play in their sprinkler, too. We like our neighbors, so I had Zachary go to their door to ask permission. Zachary and Madison loved going back and forth between the sprinklers. I saw a hot air ballon in the sky and told Zachary to come and look. As he approached me, he lost his footing in the wet grass and ran into a plastic utility post, head-on. He instantly started crying. As I checked him over, I realized that he managed to hit his forehead on the exact same spot of his current bruise. He almost spilt the skin this time. I think his forehead is going to be sore for awhile.