Texas - Stateside Travel - installment V

Things to do in Texas:
meet a longhorn steer, buy a red cowgirl hat,
wear said hat while eating some really good Mexican food.

While I went to my continuing education courses Wren and Evan spent a lot of time swimming in the hotel's indoor, salt water pool. Wren seemed to think that the pool was our primary reason for visiting Texas. This was okay, as it meant that she slept really well every night that we were there!


In addition to this being Wren's first trip to the Lone Star State it was also her first experience sitting in first class. She was very excited to have her own blanket, pillow, and tiny bottle of water waiting for her when she arrived at her seat. She was also thrilled with the huge breakfast and large selection of juices that were available. The best part for us was that we got to sit in first class because they had overbooked the flight, not because we paid for first class tickets!


*In case anyone is keeping track Wren has visited thirteen states: Texas, Idaho, Wyoming, South Dakota, Minnesota, North Dakota, Virginia, Maryland, Missouri, South Carolina, North Carolina, New York, and Tennessee, and Washington D.C. I think we have posted pictures of her in all of the states except for North Carolina and New York.

Stateside Travel - installment IV

Washington D.C. - January 2009

Maryland - January 2009

Virginia - January 2009

Thanks!

Over the past two weeks Wren's weekly activities have started back for the Fall and Winter seasons. She goes to Kindermusik on Monday afternoons and has gymnastics on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. Wren has been enrolled in both Kindermusik and gymnastics since was around one year of age. At first Evan or I or both of us went with her and participated in every class. When she turned three she was able to start "big girl" classes at the gym, and now she is in an advanced preschool class that meets twice a week for over an hour each time. This Fall she also moved up to the preschool Kindermusik class, in which the parents do not participate until the last few minutes of class.

It has been interesting to watch her develop and learn as she participates in these classes, and it is really rewarding to see her enjoying herself while she tries new things and learns new skills. It is also wonderful as a parent to watch her interact with other adults who genuinely care for her well being and are trying to help her grow and develop into a happy, healthy little person.

I really can't say enough about the patient, enthusiastic, amazing teachers and coaches that she has now and has had in the past, but I can take this opportunity to say thanks for everything you do for all of our children!

Go West Young Wren - Stateside Travel - installment III

Prairie Rattlesnake - Badlands National Park

Yellowstone National Park

Last month we took a road trip through South Dakota, Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, and North Dakota. Wren visited three new states (We can't count Montana, because we didn't spend the night.), two national parks, two national monuments, and several different national forests. She also became very familiar with a couple of small towns in Idaho as she cheered me on for 26.2 miles while I ran the Mesa Falls Marathon. Overall it was a pretty great trip for all of us!

Idaho - (above) Gin-Gin, Wren, and Grandpa Rick standing in front of Mesa Falls
(below) Wren waiting for Mommy to run by

South Dakota - Wren at Mount Rushmore

Wyoming - Big Horn National Forest - It is early and I am cold!

Wyoming - Devil's Tower National Monument

South Dakota - Badlands National Park - breaking camp with Daddy

Stateside Travel - installment II

Tennessee - Wren's home from 8 months to 2 years of age

Wren and Nannie (Teri-Lee's maternal grandmother); we will be visiting Nannie at her home in West Tennessee this November to help her celebrate her 90th Birthday!

Stateside Travel - installment I

When Wren was around one year old Evan and I decided that we would like to take her to visit all 50 states by the time she turns twelve. In order for it to count as a visit we must stay overnight and see something of note or participate in some type of activity.

Missouri - (left) Wren sitting in Uncle Ray's tractor bucket - October 2008; (right) Wren, Terrance, and Terrance's Grammy















South Carolina - Hilton Head Island - June 2008














The only exception so far is that we are counting Minnesota as visited: even though Wren has never spent the night there, we walk or bike there at least two or three times per month, and she has been to lake Itasca, where the Mississippi River begins, three times since we moved to Fargo.

Minnesota - standing in the Mississippi River, Itasca State Park - August 2009

What we've been up to