How we spent a Christmas gift

Last week, Tracy and I were talking about how we needed to have the missionaries over more often. Then on Sunday, while I was sitting in church (Tracy wasn't with me since she stayed home with Nora), the missionaries' meal schedule happened to end-up in my hands. I noticed that there was an opening on Thursday night. I knew this was more than a coincidence since we were just talking about feeding these guys and I happened to have that day off of work.

I promptly signed up for the day. When I got home, proud of my accomplishments, I told Tracy what I had done. She then, gently, reminded me that she and the other two girls had a previous engagement and that we would have to cancel the missionaries meal. I told her not to worry, and that Nora and I would go ahead and entertain.

When Tracy was leaving on Thursday night, I still hadn't formulated a meal plan (go figure). I told her not to worry, that I would take them out for some fast Mexican food at Taco Cabana. She then reminded me of a gift certificate I had gotten for Christmas from my youngest sister, Valayne (that would be sister #8, or child #12, however you want to look at it). So, Nora and I took the missionaries out for dinner. We had a great time with them. What's cool is that one of the missionaries is from Vallejo, CA - close to where we lived at Travis AFB. One of the waiters told us he had just received his mission call and would be leaving in January.

We had some good ol' Mormon style fun. I know the missionaries appreciated the meal since both told me they hadn't been to Olive Garden for a few years.

Our night of caroling at the River Walk

Tonight was an awesome FHE event. We went down to the River Walk, in down town San Antonio. We started the evening by taking a picture of our family in front of the Alamo, followed by a great dinner to include homemade rootbeer at a German deli called Schilo's. Later, we joined some friends down at the river boats and rode along and carolled the night away. The girls all agreed that this will have to be our family tradition while we are here in TX. It was a fantastic night for everything since the weather was nice and warm. It was a lot of fun and a great way to get the Christmas spirit going!

Dancing Queen(s)

December is such a busy and fun month! I expect we'll make a few more posts before the end of the year. The other night, we were treated to a dance recital for Halee and Nora. Our girls really love to dance! Our girls have been taking dance class from someone in our ward, out of the garage of someone else in our ward. Sounds weird but they really enjoyed the classes. It was great how the whole thing came together in the end since the dance space in the garage was very limited. Both of them participated in 3 dances.

Halee loves trying to be graceful - and while she's at it she makes some pretty funny faces and moves. Its fun watching her grow-up.

Nora is pretty good at dancing and practices pointing her toes and keeping her lines straight. She's progressing well with her dance.

I have uploaded a couple of videos of thier recital for your viewing pleasure!

Nora dances to "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend"

Halee dances to music from Anastasia

Our Thanksgiving

This Thanksgiving was spent here in San Antonio. Tracy told me that this year, she was not going to cook so we had better think of something to do. She wasn't snotty aobut it, just that she wanted to do something different. At first, we had discussed going and breaking bread with the military members down at the USO - since they were putting on a free turkey meal that day. Sounded fun, but impersonal.

We then had some friends invite us over for the day. We spent the day at the home of Rick and Rochelle Williamson and shared company with them and with a 3 0r 4 other families. There was tons of food, lots of kids and plenty of good conversations to break into. The kids got to do some arts-n-crafts, creating pilgrim or indian attire, thanks to Cassie White. We had a great time eating outdoors and roasting marshmellows (despite the total burn-ban for the area - keep that a secret).

Overall, Thanksgiving day 2008 turned out to be a great success! We went home that night with our bellies full and with plenty of leftovers to carry us over a few more days!

Halloween - a little late

A was looking through the pictures on the camera today and realized that I never put anything on here about the girl's Halloween costumes this year. I suppose that since Thanksgiving hasn't past yet, I am still in the clear for putting a post about Halloween up.

This year the girls were dressed in poodle skirts that Grandma McEuen made. We were able to find some vintage looking shoes for McKayela at the thrift store but didn't have such luck for Halee. Nora really wasn't participating too well (if you couldn't tell by the pictures). I guess we should give her a little latitude since this was 2 days before she was admitted to the hospital and I know she didn't feel very good.

Nora actually spent Halloween in the hospital but the girls were dressed here for the Halloween party down at the church that happened on Saturday, before Halloween. I wasn't around for it but Tracy said they all had a good time at the party and that Nora actually perked up a bit once she was at the church.

If you would like to see some of Nora's pictures from Halloween in the hospital, click on the link for "Dustin and Amanda" that is Tracy's sister's page. Amanda and cousin Sophie came out to help Tracy with the kids while Nora was in the hospital.

I recently got to participate in a teaching assignment aimed at building better relationships with military members from other countries. The mission was called "Operation Southern Partner" and included teams sent to Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina, and Chile over a 2 week span. I volunteered for the assignment and asked to be sent to Paraguay - since that is where I served my mission. At first, I was on the Paraguay tail of the assignment but was later removed from that mission and placed in the Argentina portion of the project. I was disappointed at first and still am a bit since I really wanted to see some of my old stomps but Buenos Aires was beautiful!

I did get to stop, very briefly, in Paraguay. I was able to get off the plane, get a picture with one of the Paraguayan military members there. Speak some Guarani with a Paraguayan Colonel.

Then I got back on the plane to finish a 22 hour trip to Chile (where we stayed for 8 hours before going to Argentina.

Before I left, Tracy had warned me that Nora would probably end up in the hospital at the same time that I was gone. Unfortunately, that prophecy came true, which didn't make it easy for me to be gone.

The trip was good although I will think twice about taking a trip when Tracy has some form of prophecy or when I find out it includes a long flight on a military aircraft (not comfortable).

Sea World

I thought I'd share a picture that Tracy took of us at Sea World this past week. You can see my bald head with McKayela and Halee in the back of the boat.
Sea World is offering a free day at the park for military members and their family. We had a great time there. If you are in the military, check out this deal before it ends this year.

Halee's new glasses

Another one of our children has taken after their dad and has been blessed with terrible eyesight. This child is Halee. She got her first pair of glasses a few weeks ago. It was funny how we figured out that she couldn't see. We were at my mom's house visiting and while we were there we were giving eye exams to my neices and nephews. (we obviously have a strange way of having fun at Grandma's house).

Anyway, Halee asked if I would do her eye exam. I don't think she could even see the big "E" on the top of the chart. It was then that I realized her eyesight must be poor (I guess all the bumping into closed doors wasn't proof enough). It was also then that she told me she couldn't see the TV unless she was sitting in front of it. She never squinted or anything so we really had no clue.

Anyway, we went down and had a professional eye exam and sure enough - she needed glasses. The glasses she chose have a little H and a diamond on them (for Hannah Montana). She fell in love and that is what she is wearing these days.

Hannah Monatana's and San Antonio

Our girls have really taken an interest in Hannah Monatana. They liked her before but after we moved here to San Antonio, they have become almost obsessed with her. We have listened to the music all hours of the day and night. We watched the 3-D movie on Disney Channel. The girls have T-shirts with her image. Is there no stopping the craze?!!?

Also, today was what we fondly refer to as our family birthday (a.k.a. our anniversary). On this date, 13yrs ago, our family was formed. Usually, we end up doing some kind of family outing. This year, we went down to downtown San Antonio, since Tracy nor the girls had been there yet. We saw the Alamo. We walked the River Walk. We had some great Mexican food down there and topped the day off by purchasing some pink cowgirl hats and getting some pictures infront of the Alamo. What says Texas more than that? We had a good time there today. I am happy that Tracy was crazy enough to marry me 13 yrs ago.

We made it! At last!

We made it to SA! The trip from LA to here went pretty well - until about 40 miles outside of SA when our radiator hose slipped off again. I thought the first time was a freak thing, the second time was just weird. Fortunately, we were prepared this time. Got fluid in it and then I replaced the old spring clamp with a screw-type hose clamp. I hope that hose doesn't come off again.

The visit with my sister went well. It was nice to see her since we haven't seen her in at least 4 years - since she has never met Nora. She has 2 kids and our kids had a good time unwinding for a few hours at there home. This sister keeps moving away from us. When we moved to CA, she moved away. When we come to TX, she's moving again. This time to AL. I guess that means we'll be PCS'ing to AL next, but probably not. :-)

As for the girls and Tracy's first impression of the new house...They liked it, aside from some of the wall colors, which can be remedied before our HHG's (House Hold Goods - for you non-military types) arrive here on Thursday.

Another day down - 1 more to go!

I am glad to announce another day of successful travel without any new car troubles to report. Thanks to the time change (going from Eastern to Central time) we were able to wake up early and hit the trail sooner, kind of.
We made great time crossing AL, MS, and into LA. We have seen some incredible country along the way since we have crossed MD, VA, TN, AL, MS, LA and finish in TX. We crossed the Mississippi river today before entering LA. This is the second time we have got to cross that river. It feels cool doing it, like we are a modern day Lewis and Clark expedition.

LA is interesting. I knew there was lots of swamp land here but I never imagined how much. It's truly amazing seeing all the swamps with the tree stumps sticking up all over. Pretty cool! We ate at a local Cajun-style restaurant tonight, which was very tasty! I wanted to eat some crawfish but it was a bit expensive so I had to settle for chicken and shrimp. This trip has been culturally enlightening.

Our move - it's half OVER!

Yesterday we embarked on our 1,600+ mile journey from Maryland to San Antonio, TX. We are covering 400 miles a day and plan on being in SA on Sunday. Our first night we spent in Bristol, VA. Tonight we are in beautiful downtown Tuscaloosa, AL. Tomorrow we will be in Lafayette, LA. Then Sunday, sunny San Antone! Before we get there on Sunday, we plan on making a slight detour to visit one of my little sisters that lives in Houston. Sunday will be the day that Tracy and the girls get to see our little castle for the first time. Sunday will also be the day that I receive a great deal of praise or rebuke, depending on how Tracy likes the house! At any rate, we are stuck with it since we have closed on it. :-)

Yesterday, we had a little hiccup along the trail. As we were climbing a big hill in Virginia - passing cars, trucks, and vans - we noticed a spray of fluids coming out behind us. At first I thought it was like a comet's tail or a vapor trail from a jet's stream but then I realized that it was something more than that as I noticed the temperature gage start to climb. We quickly pulled over, in the middle of nowhere, and assessed the damage. I prayed it wasn't a busted radiator hose - and my prayer was answered. Our radiator hose merely slipped off the radiator. I guess the pressure from the engine and the G's we were pushing in the Ford Expedition (a.k.a. Percy), while towing the pickup (a.k.a. Grandpa Whitey) must have pushed that hose right off.

Unfortunately, I did something stupid and left our antifreeze/coolant at our house in MD. We decided we would call for roadside assistance. What a joke! I asked them to bring me out some radiator fluids - they offered to tow me to the nearest town. Wow! That would be a great big help - I'll be dropping that coverage. Tracy, the super packer, brought a case of bottled water with us so we ripped the tops off those bottles, filled up the radiator, and hit the road. So far, we haven't had any more mishaps.

The girls are traveling well. They get a bit fidgety but who can blame them. This is the second big move they've made in 2 years. Hopefully the next move will be shorter distance, and a few more years from now.

Our Day at Ft McHenry

I don't know how many of you know about Ft McHenry - I didn't know much about it until we moved out here to Maryland. Ft McHenry was made famous during the War of 1812, during the Battle of Baltimore. During this battle a young lawyer named Francis Scott Key, was sent by the United States to a Brittish war ship to negotiate a prisoner exchange. During his time on the ship, he witnessed the attack on Ft McHenry where he was inspired to write a poem that was later put to music. We know this song as "The Star Spangled Banner", which later became our national anthem.

Yesterday, we took my Mom and Rusty to visit the fort. While we were there, the park ranger pressed us into service. We were asked to come help raise the flag over the fort. This was a powerful experience for me since this was the spot that the colors waived during that battle nearly 200 years ago. The coolest part was that McKayela and Halee were that ones that got to raise the flag!
As you can see, the flag that we were raising is huge! It is a replica of the original that Lt Col Armistad ordered for the fort. He wanted the biggest flag ever!
This is a shot of Halee and McKayela with the park ranger. The flag they are holding is actually the night time flag - which is much smaller than the one that they hoisted.
Here's a picture of McKayela, Halee, Rusty and my mom on the side of the fort where the USA was firing it's cannons at the English ships.

We really have had a busy week - from a field trip with McKayela to Annapolis, to my graduation, to Nora being hospitalized, to a tour of the USNS Comfort (a huge Navy hospital ship), and to the tour of Ft McHenry.

McKayela's Spring Concert

McKayela had a violin and choir concert this past week. She really has been working hard on her music and loves playing. It was alot of fun to go and see her perform. We are very proud of her and the progress she's made.

This week, McKayela has decided to try her hand at blogging. She's been pestering me for a while to get her page started. I added a link to her page in my section labeled "Blogging Buddies." If you would like to see how she's doing, take a look at it. I think this will give her an opportunity to express herself and to improve her typing skills.

Benefit performance for Nora

Yesterday, the Design in Motion dance studio in Crofton, where Nora has dance lessons, put on a benefit performance for Nora. We were treated to an evening of entertainment and deserts. The dancers did a terrific job, including a performance by Nora's group. We really enjoyed ourselves.

Ahoy there! Here's Pirate Nora in her dance costume

This is Nora with Jeanne Mattis, owner of Design in Motion dance studio, Crofton, MD

The home search - Our future Brooznoll

Here's the front of what may be our next home. My Dad and I came down to San Antonio for a whirlwind house-finding trip. We have seen ~ 40 homes over the past 2 days and I think we came across the nicest of them all. It is 4bed/3bath, 2625 sq feet. I made an offer on the home - we'll see if the owners accept.



Another shot of the front of the house. There are full grown Oak trees all around the house and neighborhood. I really like the area - the house is on a Cul-de-sac.











Here's a shot of the front room, looking down from the loft.

The back of the house.

Unfortunately, the dog doesn't come with the house. :-(

Our month of April

This month is such a special one, it's birthday time for Nora and Curtis. Nora celebrated her 4th b-day on April 12th. We had a little birthday party for her on her day, and we celebrated it with her some of her friends on the 15th. She really had a great time this past week since it seems that she had a birth-week, not just a day. Cousin Kylee, my sister M'Lee, and my dad were all here for her b-day.

For my b-day, I spent the day at the Univ of Maryland. Then I came home to find my wonderful little family with a few presents and an ice cream cake.

Today, my dad and I, took a trip to Glen Mills, PA to visit the land of my inheritance. This home was named "Brooznoll", or breazy hill, by my ancestors who came to America for religious freedom. They were Quakers and left England to avoid persecution. This home was built by my ancestors, who had 17 children (I have no intentions of following in their footsteps). The new owners of the home were very gracious to let us come and interupt their day and give us a little Hoopes family history lesson.

If you can see the inscription, it says 1723 - that was the year the first section of the house was complete. The next section was complete in 1740. The wood portions of the house were added by non-Hoopes around 1920. The home was originally set on 500 acres, it now sits on 1 acre.
This next week, my dad and I will be traveling to San Antonio to find a home for my family to move into. Hopefully, it will serve my family as well as Brooznoll served my ancestors for the 200 years they lived there.

Curtis and Tracy go to the UK

Tracy and I took a wonderful trip to England to visit my brother, Jr., who is stationed over there. We decided we would take 1 week, during my spring break to do this. It was a whirlwind trip and we saw things that were within a 2 hour radius of where my brother lives - which doesn't even scratch the surface of all the things to see there.

This picture is of Tracy with Jr's family eating our lunch in front of Buckingham Palace.






Here is one of Jr's kids, Kaleb. He was excited to go to Picadilly Circus, until he found out there weren't any clowns there. Sorry, Kaleb! :-)





Here's Tracy and me at Stonehenge. I didn't know what Stonehenge was all about before I got there. I took the audio tour and I still don't know what Stonehenge is all about - Neither do the experts, apparently.




This is a shot of St Paul's cathedral. I was hoping to "feed the birds" but apparently Mary Poppins lied. The song goes "Everyday on the steps of St Paul...the dear old bird woman calls...feed the birds...". Sadly, the Bird Woman wasn't there, so we didn't get off the bus.


We got the biggest kick out of this. On the subway, instead of saying "Watch your step", the English say "Mind the gap". I liked it so much, I bought a hat with that saying on it.


Overall, we had a great time. We loved the English accents, especially hearing the children speak it. We learned new words and phrases from Jr's kids like "argy-bargy" which means an argument. We ate fish and chips like the locals. We tried Iron Brew. It was an enlighening experience being able to go to the land of our fore-fathers.

In the Beginning

Everything needs a beginning, so here is where our blog will start.