Christmas 2009

Matt opens Christmas presents. He's really good at it. :-)

Jordan opens a box of art supplies. He is THRILLED.

Can you believe it? A WHITE CHRISTMAS IN TEXAS? It was just a dusting, but enough for the white stuff to be on the ground. Unfortunately, it was also enough for Dondi to slip on and break her arm as we went to church on Christmas Eve.

Jordan plays with the new piece to his GeoTrax train set on Christmas morning.

Matt carries his Elmo doll around while at Christmas with the Jordans.

Matt opens more Christmas gifts about a week after Christmas (with Deona, Monica and Everett). You can see Dondi's navy blue sling on her left arm.

Jordan and Matt open gifts at Jo-jo's apartment.

Lisa's Graduation

Dec. 11-12, we went up to Wellston, Oklahoma, to celebrate cousin Lisa's graduation from college.

On the 11th, we drove to Gainesville to experience their historic downtown's Christmas celebration, took a carriage ride and enjoyed the sights and sounds.

On the 12th, Jordan got sick, so he ended up sleeping through a lot of Lisa's party at Wellston Christian Church, and then we headed home the same day. Rough day for the little guy.

Jordan and Matt stand in front of a Nativity display in downtown Gainesville, Texas.

Jordan crashes on the futon in the gym of Wellston Christian Church. Poor little guy didn't handle the drive to Oklahoma very well.

Lisa's mom Deann (in the black) and daughter Whitney cut the cake. (Wouldn't you know it? Not a single picture of the guest of honor).

Christmas Program

Jordan's day care put on a nice Christmas program at Community of Hope United Methodist Church in Mansfield.

Happy Thanksgiving!

We had a fun, hectic Thanksgiving. We started Thursday off with lunch with Don's family in Arlington, moved to dinner with my parents, then hit the road first thing Friday morning to have lunch at Dondi's Grandma Cross' farm near Perkins, Oklahoma. We had planned to stay until Sunday morning, but it worked out best to come home Saturday, instead. Saturday's return trip involved eating at Babe's Chicken Dinner in Sanger, Texas, so all was not lost. :-)

Here are some pictures from the weekend. (Some were taken with our Olympus, some with my iPhone, so the quality is a little different from photo to photo).

Jordan checks out the barn and backyard area behind Grandma Cross' home.

Jordan and Matt loved the tractor in the barn.

Jordan hangs out on the carport outside Grandma Cross' house.

Matt drags a bucket around Grandma Cross' backyard. Behind him is cousin Sklyar, who is a day older than Jordan.

Jordan and Matt pose in front of the Texas welcome center in Gainesville.


Matt poses near the sign by himself, in a picture reminiscent of this favorite of Jordan's, when he was about the same age.

Matt, at the end of the day. Clearly ready to be out of his car seat and in his crib.

Catching up

Grammy (a.k.a. Jo-Jo, a.k.a. Wendy, a.k.a. Debbie) is now a member of the Dallas Arboretum. Thanks to her membership, we've been out a couple of times to take in the beauty around White Rock Lake. We enjoyed a trip right before Halloween to check out their pumpkin patch. We went back today to check out the pioneer town and to get some pictures. It was gorgeous.

Enjoy the pictures.

Halloween pictures

Jordan dressed up as Thomas the Tank Engine. Matt is dressed up as a tiger.

Jordan and Dad hit the State Fair of Texas

Matt wasn't feeling 100%, so Dad and Jordan took the DART light rail to Fair Park to experience the great State Fair of Texas while Mom and Matt hung out at home. Some pictures from the day:

Jordan waits for the green line train.

Enjoying the midway.

Enjoying the midway.

Enjoying the car show.

Enjoying the corn dogs.

Quick update

Jordan is doing much better. On Tuesday night, both Dondi and Matt became sick. According to the pediatrician, Matt definitely didn't have the flu (it was a viral upper respiratory infection); Dondi's doctor didn't test her for anything, saying she likely had the flu. But, as she is not a candidate to receive tamiflu, she was told to go home and rest. She was back up and moving pretty quickly, so I personally don't think she had the flu, but most of my medical training came from the 1980s sitcom Doogie Howser, M.D., so maybe I'm wrong.

I woke up this morning with a sore throat and bad cough; fortunately my allergist sees patients on Saturday mornings and I went in. I have a viral upper respiratory infection (like Matt), and the early stages of a bacterial sinus infection.

So we're a real fun bunch, though we're not contagious. But it sounds like lungs are forever being hacked up over here. :)

Jordan and the flu

Jordan was diagnosed with the flu this morning. Seasonal or H1N1 is really unimportant (and they'll only submit samples for testing for which one it is if he ends up in the hospital).

He's very grouchy, but fortunately has Tamiflu, so hopefully that will keep the virus from multiplying within his body.... Fortunately, too, we were referred to an excellent pharmacy in Mansfield - Ray's Pharmacy - that was able to make a compound of the Tamiflu for Jordan, since the kids' supply is nonexistent. It was strange to see real pharmacists doing real pharmacist kind of work. Usually, at CVS or Walgreen's, you just see them pulling big bottles of something and pouring it into small bottles...

Sad thing is, in the hour we were at Ray's, there were five other kids needing Tamiflu.

We'll post if anything else comes up. Fortunately, reports are that the flu is pretty mild and most people are doing just fine after a rough couple of days.

Happy Birthday, Papa!

Today is my dad's birthday. Jordan wanted to wish him a good one.

Jordan's first soccer game

Jordan started his soccer career today. We trekked out to the Harold Patterson Sports Complex and took Jordan to play in a soccer league designed just for 3- and 4-year-olds. The idea is that you're out there for about an hour. They practice, then play a game. And by play a game, I mean everyone gets a chance to score.... You know, just like in the real world. ;-)

But, it was fun. Jordan had a blast. When he wasn't upset that someone else had the ball. :) This is a six-week program, so if you need us on the next few Saturday mornings, you'll find us out in South Arlington with all of the other soccer parents.

Happy 4th Birthday Jordan!

Jordan is 4 years old today! He is all boy these days, and apparently just hit a growth spurt (evidenced by the fact that his jeans are high-watering and his shorts, which used ot be lower-than-knee-length are now comfortably-above-the-knee.

Saturday, we had a party for Jordan at the Incredible Pizza Company in Euless. The pizza place has several birthday rooms, a huge arcade, indoor go-kart track, mini-bowling and miniature golf. (It's like Chuck E. Cheese on steroids - with much better pizza). Jordan had an absolute blast.

Jordan had several friends there, all of his grandparents, both aunts, his cousin, plus most of the Fort Worth-area Jordan clan. Everyone seemed to have a great time.

Saturday night, we had dinner with Emo, Papa and Aunt Cris at On the Border after church. The wait staff sang their happy birthday rendition to Jordan, which he loved.

On Sunday, we took Jordan to the Rave Motion Pictures studio at North East Mall in Fort Worth to see the new Thomas the Tank Engine movie, Hero of the Rails. The movie (which is already out on DVD) was pretty good for a kids' show. The movie theater, however, is a dump. Our first visit was also our last.

{Updated}Monday was Jordan's actual birthday. We had dinner at Joe's Crab Shack in Arlington with Jo-jo. We went back to her apartment to open gifts, and then home. Jordan's birthday week continued on Wednesday with dinner with Gee at Catfish Sam's.

Here are some pictures from the party.







Jordan's birth post.
Jordan's first birthday.
Jordan's second birthday.
Jordan's third birthday.

Jordan, Dad and Pa-pa tour the new Cowboys Stadium

Matt was napping and Dondi studying for the CPA exam, so we went and toured the stadium this afternoon.

Jordan stands next to the pond on the eastern plaza of Cowboys Stadium.

Looking to the northeast from Cowboys Stadium, a sea of Texas and U.S. flags, and The Ballpark in Arlington.

This is the world's biggest HDTV screen. I have to admit, it was kind of cool.

Pa-pa, Jordan and I pose for a picture above the east end zone.

Matt's first haircut

Matt had his first haircut today at Hudson's Family Barbershop in Arlington. (This is the same place Dad and Jordan get their haircuts).

We arrived about 11:30 and were out of there a little after 12:30, and that included Jordan, Matt and Dad getting their haircuts. (Dad's always takes the shortest for some reason)....

Matt did really well, although he was a little squirmy. Donna B., our favorite barber there, did a great job as always.

Check out the photos:

Matt is strapped in for his haircut by "Miss Donna".

Matt, not quite sure what to make of it all. :)

Donna cuts Matt's hair, as barbershop owner Dean Hudson takes Matt's picture.

The almost-finished product.

Sitting back and enjoying a lollipop for such a good first haircut.