 And Baby Makes Five Submitted: May. 24, 2010 @ 9:27 am by Pamela Daines
We have new little one on the way, due Nov. 18th! Gender to be announced in the next few weeks. Taylor wants a boy and Dakota wants a girl. Both are excited about having a new baby in the family, as are Mom and Dad. Mom is over the first trimester sickness and wouldn't know she was pregnant except for the baby belly that is considerably noticeable.
The family is already preparing for the new arrival, especially Dakota. She decided and proved in a weekend that she was finished with diapers. She graduated from the crib into a toddler bed, choosing to share a room with Taylor. Both of them are now trying to convince Mom that the baby should be in their room too.
We have babysat a couple of infants recently, and the kids have thoroughly enjoyed it. They are great helpers and can't wait for the arrival of our new little one! |
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 Congratulations Nate and Mindy! Submitted: May. 3, 2010 @ 9:47 am by Pamela Daines
Congratulations to Nate and Mindy Gill, married May 1st in the Denver, CO temple. We enjoyed a great weekend with family, and are excited to have Nate join the fam.
(Thanks to cousin Randy for the photography - myphotoforyou.net) |
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 Nashville Half Marathon Submitted: Apr. 26, 2010 @ 5:19 pm by Pamela Daines
One week before Nate and Mindy's wedding, the extended Daines Family and most of the Gill family (Mindy's in-laws) met in Nashville, TN for the country Rock & Roll Half Marathon. Mom outfitted the team with matching shirts and accessories to look like a wedding party. We had a great weekend with the family and are already looking for another race. |
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 A Visit from Emily Submitted: Mar. 22, 2010 @ 12:20 pm by Pamela Daines
We love Spring Break because we usually have family visit! Emily came down for most of the week, and we had a great time! Our favorite was the beach. Over a year has passed since our last beach visit, so the kids were thrilled to go. We spent as much time at the beach as we did driving there and back, but it was worth it. The kids loved building a sand castle, burrying Emily in sand, and Emmy even had them jumping over waves by the time we left.
As always, Emily is a great help around the house. She is a great preschool teacher and even taught a couple of days so I could complete my long runs. We also organized the kids' closets and learned we lack talent at installing curtain rods. She and the kids had fun playing everyday, whether it was kitchen, playdoh, coloring, or the park. We were so sad to see her go and hope she comes to visit again! |
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 Happy Birthday Taylor Submitted: Mar. 7, 2010 @ 12:03 pm by Pamela
Taylor turned four years old in March and we were lucky enough to have Grandma, Grandpa Kaylee, Emily, and Jacob come to Houston celebrate. The festivities began with the traditional green cake, ice cream, and presents, and ended with a train ride to the famous Houston Rodeo. The kids loved the petting zoo which featured lamas, reindeer, pigs, hens, and head-butting goats. Grandpa was lucky enough to even be a recipient of some head butts, and Jake's shirt received a couple of nibbles from the goats.
Taylor surprised us all by asking to go on a LONG slide at the carnival. Jake and Emmy also slid down, but Taylor went all by himself and showed us he is big and can do big things. Happy Birthday Taylor! |
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 Congratulations Bryce! Submitted: Feb. 8, 2010 @ 11:51 am by Pamela Daines
Congratulations to Bryce for winning the DeLill Nasser Award for Professional Development in Genetics. This travel grant, awarded from the Genetics Society of America, is given to young geneticists to attend national and international meetings. Bryce will use the award to attend the 51st Drosophila Research Conference in Washington DC. Way to go Bryce! |
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 An Early Bird (well duck) Submitted: Jan. 27, 2010 @ 11:35 am by Emily Daines
Jacob and I (Emily) got 12 duck eggs for Christmas. After the first week we were left with 7. The others were clear (unfertilized eggs). It was the highlight and # 1 present ever (well in my eyes anyway). The ducks were due to hatch Saturday January 9th but to my surprise on Tuesday, the last time i went to flip them, I was startled. I was paralyzed like a rat at the glaring eyes of a snake. I heard a peep. (You&apre probably thinking I&apm crazy but really I&apm not. I was just befuddled.) My book says soon after the first pip or peep you&apre soon to have a duckling, but they weren&apt supposed to come until Saturday. Well this fell through my head and i summoned mom. We watched the egg shake and raddle and even crack. By morning we would have a duck. Morning came but little progress. I was forced against my will (if I have one), to go to school. In my return all but one egg was cracked. That first peeper had not made progress though, so I was a little worried. Then at 4:26 a little duckling shoved through its shell and tried to walk (quiet clumsy on his feet). We named him Dancer. 4:28 - within the minute two little ducklings we call twins arrived, Cami and Dallas (every time we take one out and it peeps the other also peeps in the cage). Cami hatched first and then with help by Cami, Dallas hatched also. (It seems as if they help the other eggs by pecking at it them.) Then 6:26 the last call, or Cali appeared. It had been trying since 4:00 the day before. All the others figured it out, but Cali needed some extra time. He/she is the smallest.. Soon after settling the newborns in a box, we headed to bed. .To our surprise when we woke up, we saw a duck, the first Pekin, Noel. She is the strongest one, but the thing is that she left her egg as if it had not been cracked. It was amazing. (Some one&aps an over achiever - hear that little ducks?) That day there were ice storms so school was a delayed start. Jake went to school on time but I stayed home to watch the last egg hatch. At 10:16 Snowflake arrived, the last duck.
When the ducks were one week old I took them swimming in a tray that you put paint in. I put Noel in first to see the reaction and when she was fine I asked my mom to come watch her while a grabbed another. As I walked back to get one, I heard a peep and a thud and then little footsteps behind me. Noel followed me to the box and patiently waited while I got another, then followed me back. She did this each time and will now follow me all over the house. Thank you Bryce and Pam. I couldn&apt think of a better gift. I have all ways wanted a farm and I&apm almost there, sort of (1 dog, 2 turtles, 1 fish, and six ducks, and the neighbors have horses). I love them and cant wait to make a colorful world in our pond. |
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 Cough in Your Elbow Submitted: Dec. 4, 2009 @ 1:20 pm by Bryce Daines
With the recent family sickness, many family members developed a cough. Taylor has become the sanitation police. Taylor&aps obligatory reminder accompanies nearly every cough: (Cough, cough) &quDad, cough in your elbow, like this” with a demonstration of the appropriate technique. We teach our kids, and then they teach us. |
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 Alligators! Submitted: Dec. 4, 2009 @ 1:17 pm by Bryce Daines
We visited a local state park over the Thanksgiving break – Brazos Bend - home of the American Alligator. It was cool day and overcast so most of the cold-blooded alligators were hiding; in the summer it is not uncommon to see 50 or more in a day. The kids highlight was petting the baby alligators in the nature center. Taylor insists that the alligators are crocodiles and refers to the park as ‘Crocodile Lake’ which has now become his favorite imaginary destination. |
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 The Monster Dash Submitted: Dec. 4, 2009 @ 1:17 pm by Bryce Daines
Pamela’s big Halloween event was the annual Pearland Monster Dash. She competed in the 5k event and to everyone’s surprise (especially her own) placed 1st overall in her age group. In fact, she finished just behind the top overall female finisher. She brought home a trophy in the form of a commemorative glass and just missed out on the free pair of shoes. The kids and Bryce provided the moral support and post-race party. |
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 Granola for Breakfast Submitted: Dec. 4, 2009 @ 1:11 pm by Bryce Daines
The following conversation recently took between Pamela and our opinionated, 2-year old daughter Dakota.
Pamela: “Who wants granola for breakfast?”
Dakota: “Eww!”
Pamela: “Eww? Mommy thinks granola is yummy.”
Dakota: “No, icecream yummy.” |
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