Today we took a little trip to Lake Corpus Christi State Park. We had no real intentions when we went, we were just ready to get out of the house, and it was rainy this morning so it was a little cooler. We just drove around and looked (the lake itself was so low that all the boat docks were closed). Here are a few pictures of us in and around the "old" pavilion.

The Beach

We finally made it to the beach. This is what we look forward to every year when we talk about our summer vacation. The birds and the waves and the sun! We love it. This post is a summary of the past few days. We did have internet and computers while we were camping on the beach, but there never seemed to be enough time to update posts and pictures.
We left Victoria on Tuesday the 30th. We drove Earlene's car with the trailer that Popi "designed" for last year's trip. Of course, it couldn't go SMOOTHLY, so the trailer lights didn't work for some reason. We decided to try to make it the whole way and deal with it when we got there. We pulled in to our campsite at Mustang Island State Park on Tuesday around 2:00 pm.

We got our tent set up and headed over to the water - it was only about 110 that day! We took enough time at the beach to cool off a little and then came back to the site to finish setting up camp. We had spaghetti for dinner and relaxed for the rest of the evening.
Wednesday we just hung out around the beach and the campsite for most of the morning then headed in to Corpus to see where we could stay cool. We tried a mall, but it was dead, so we found a REALLY good Chinese buffet! We did a little shopping and a little hanging out in Corpus, shopping and such. Colton has had some skin issues this week, so while we were in Wal Mart, he was scratching away. We had checked him and he was broken out all around his torso, so we ran over and bought some Benadryl. Of course, this made him PASS SMOOTH OUT on the way back to camp, and he was alseep for hours. Earlene and I used our seperate computers to watch different movies that we had picked up from the Red Box.
Thursday we decided was a beach day. We went to the beach early and set up our shade canopy.

Colton swam and swam. He absolutely LOVES the ocean waves. He could be out there forever!

He did stop to eat sometimes.

This was also my mommy's birthday, so Happy Birthday, Mom!
It's always breezy in the evenings off the ocean, so Colton got to get in a little kite flying! I don't remember it being so easy when I was a kid!

That night we had watermelon with some neighbors and also got some help fixing the trailer lights.
Yesterday, Friday, we got up quite early to start packing things up. We wanted to be done before the sun came up! We made it, with the help of some clouds. We rewarded ourselves with McDonalds on the way out of town! We love McDonalds breakfast. We stopped on the way back at several t-shirt shops and the "big tree". It's a really, really, really, old tree. And it's big!

We were welcomed back at home with some lovely surprises! (sarcasm) Some kind of animal had managed to crawl into a small ice chest on the porch and die. Several days ago. Did I mention it's 110 down here!? Then we figure out there is no electricity in the house. Apparently there had been a storm here while we were gone and lightening managed to hit the pole. Ice chest to the pasture and electric company fixed the electricity and we're all good!
This is the 4th of July. We actually have no plans for the evening. We got up this morning and Colton got to make breakfast for us. He LOVES to cook.

They have these lovely creatures down here called fire ants. They love to bite your feet and toes and they sting like, well, fire! Colton being the "sensitive" boy that he is, does not agree well with these ants. He has about 5 bites on his left foot and it has now swollen so badly it looks like his poor little ankle is broken!

And we've already established that Benadryl knocks him OUT, so today we're watching movies, editing pictures, working on computers and cell phones, and keeping our feet up on ice. Well, one of us is!
Happy 4th Of July Everyone!

We Took The Long Way Home

Sunday morning we got around in Austin and had a great breakfast prepared by two of the most hospitable people I've met, Pat and Linda, Earlene's brother and sister-in-law. We had decided to take the scenic route back to Victoria. Boy did we ever! We went south out of Austin and headed toward the shore. It was a LONG LONG LONG drive! Colton was restless and Poppy actually got sick once, but we finally came out in Corpus Christi around 5:00. We went across the big tall bridge and out toward Padre Island. We didn't stop at Padre, but went a little further east and found what we were looking for - Mustang Island. We went in and looked around and got information about making reservations for the next week's camping trip. The lady told us to make reservations online as soon as possible (next week is the 4th), so while Colton played in the water for a few minutes, we used the phone and the computer and made our reservations for the only nights they have available, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Got a few pictures of us on the beach and headed back thru Aransas Pass and Ingleside and back up to Victoria. Now we have today to pack and prepare and we will leave out tomorrow morning! We are excited!

Austin Continued

Here are a few pictures from the pool at Earlene's brother Pat's house in Austin:

Colton and Earlene's sister, Michele

Lifeguard checking things out!

Checking farms and fairy lands out on the back porch. Good times.

Austin Visit

We were sitting at the house COMPLETELY bored and with no plans for the weekend, so Earlene called her brother and sister that live in Austin and asked if they would like some company for the weekend. We threw a weekend bag together (including the suits since "Uncle Pat" has a pool) and headed out. Since we didn't plan so well, this put us going all the way through Austin in rush hour traffic on a Friday afternoon! It wasn't TOO bad though (we only came to a complete stop on I-35 once) and we made it in decent time. We went out to eat with Earlene's brother Pat and his wife Linda and Earlene's sister Michele and her husband Jeff. We ate at a mexican food place that they like to frequent. I personally didn't like the food at all. Made me miss Fuente Grande! But the company was great! Came back to Pat's house to relax on the back porch. Colton, Pat, and Earlene ventured into the water, but the rest of us just hung out on the porch. When Michele showed up, she and I got out the laptops right there on the back porch and got to harvesting our farms on facebook together! Fun Fun! I'm not sure what today holds, but we'll see!! I have pictures of Colton in the pool, but I'll have to post them another time.

Interesting Day

Today we spent most of the morning just hanging around the house and watching Colton play the Wii. It is extremely hot here during the day, so around 1:00 we decided to go find something to do in the air conditioning. I suggested the library and since Earlene had never been, we thought it would be a great idea, so off we went. They have a really nice library here with alot of cool stuff. As Earlene was getting her library card, we heard alot of talk around about the movie at 3:00. Apparently during the summer they show a movie every couple of days. So we searched around the kids section and looked at some books until 3:00 when we went in and watched National Treasure 2. The seating was rather uncomfortable, but it was nice to get to see a surprise movie in the middle of the day. There aren't many other details to offer for the day. Tomorrow we have some more errands to run, so we'll see where that takes us!

R&R

The last two days have pretty much been resting days - recovering sometimes as well!
Yesterday we had a few errands to run. Earlene wanted to take a card and picture to the hospital nurses that Popi loved so much. It was nice to meet them. We hit a few other stores and such (yes, of course Wal Mart was included) and ate out at a good Mexican food place for lunch. Back home after all the running around and we all just fell about tired. Had a lite dinner and watched Jon and Kate plus eight. Cried a lil. Sad. But talk about reality TV!
Today we had determined NOT to leave the house and just hang out at home. I have had two VERY hard nights with a sunburn on my back. I don't remember having a sunburn this bad since I was little - and that one came from Padre Island. Alot of pain and of course I can't put anything on it myself since it's the middle of my BACK! Stinks in the middle of the night! I'm sure I'll recover though. Just in time for our next venture to the sea!
The three of us (and the dog) decided today about noon that it was naptime. None of us really even ate lunch (we had a good breakfast though) so we are having spaghetti for dinner and then we'll plant ourselves for Deadliest Catch. Sounds like a good night to me!

Sun!

Beach today!
We packed up today and headed out to find some beach. Of course, any good day has to start with a trip to SOME Wal Mart SOMEwhere. Then off to the beach. We wound up in Port Lavaca. Even though it was Father's Day, it wasn't too crowded and we had fun floating around and getting sunburned!! Yes, we had sunscreen (bought it at Wal Mart - duh!). Hit the dollar menu at McD's for lunch and took it to the city park under a big tree and had a nice lunch with good conversation while Colton played on the playground. Back home to the AIR CONDITIONING to harvest on facebook (no, not obsessed!) and barely got that done before I keeled over and slept for an hour and a half! Up in time for dinner and now we're chillin' watching Hannah Montana and playing on the web.
Why of COURSE we have pictures!

Who says there's no life guard on duty?!

Made it - almost!

We made it to Turner Falls today around 11:30. Got everything paid for and set up the tent before we could do anything else so that our site would be reserved. Right across the road from us is part of the creek, so we went over and cooled off for an hour or two. Popi didn't like getting wet (he's not allowed in the water here anyway) so he spent the time sitting on me. We chilled in about 6 inches of quick moving water while Colton floated down the river and walked back up. Came back up to the tent and loaded most of our stuff and had lunch. This would be PRIMITIVE camping. We are not used to not having electricity. We will surely live for ONE night, but we will definately have to do some things differently than we usually do! We are going to head down to the creek again with the camera this time and try to get some shots that we can post tonight (before the battery goes dead!). Good news is that we're on top of the hills here, so great reception!

We're outta here!

Today we leave for our summer vacation to Texas!!! We plan to spend the day and night at Turner Falls before heading across the river. Of course, at Turner Falls you're in a huge HOLE, so I probably won't have service to update, but I'll do my best and if not, I'll update tomorrow!

Coming up.....

Well, we are back from our first trip to Texas for the summer. The boys and I went to Victoria to visit Popi and Granny. Popi has been very sick in the end stages of cancer, but we got to see him and visit with him for several days. It was EXTREMELY hard to leave to come home. None of us knew if we would ever get to see him again. We won't. Popi died Monday, June 8th. While we will miss him like crazy, we will also always have the times that we got to spend with him and the memories we all made together.
We had to leave Texas to come home for summer school. This year, summer school is only 3 weeks long, but it's always extra money for the summer. Money's always good. The summer school director put me as an aide in the music class this year. This is great to get to work with the kids AND music. However, since there are only 12 days of summer school, we are cramming to get 5 songs with motions ready for a "program" on the final Thursday. They are getting it and I think it will be cute.
Friday after summer school's out, we are headed back to Texas for a few weeks. In spite of everything, it will be great to get back down there. We are ready for some OCEAN! Pics will follow, of course.

Addition

Naturally, it's been a long time since my last post, but the end of the school year is always busy for us. Lots of bus driving and field trips and such. Three trips to the zoo in the last two weeks, one trip to the Oklahoma Art Museum and one to El Reno with the special ed kids for their "special olympics" day. NOT a part of the "real" special olympics, but still great fun! And we made both newspapers out here, so we must be big time! We got to take the new, big activity bus and watch movies on the way there and back! This was really the coolest field trip I've been on so far!

We also have a new addition to our family. Some of you may find this hard to believe, but we have a dog. A Chihuahua. He is a few years old and we got him from some friends. Colton named him Poppy. He and Colton have totally bonded. As I type, Colton is outside playing with a friend and Poppy is sitting on the back of the couch whimpering because he's not with Colton. As long as Colton's not around, Poppy likes me as well. While he came to us grown and potty trained and such, he's also given us some challenges that we've had some trouble dealing with, but we are trying to make things work. He's really a lovey dog, and I think he'll be a great addition. Of course, I have a few pictures:



There are only 4 days left of school for this year! The following week we will be heading off to Texas with Joe for a few days to visit family and friends. Then back home for summer school until June 18th. Then Colton and I will make our annual trek to the coast for summer fun! We can't wait!

Pictures from our camping trip

Great Salt Plains

Friend, Dannelle

At "the plains"

The lake around the plains. The water was VERY cold.

Long Time No Update!

I have friends who keep up with their blogs so well and I feel like such a slacker! It's even spring break and I haven't been able to motivate myself. Well, here I am, much to the relief of everyone, I'm sure.
Our spring break has been somewhat uneventful. We have watched alot of TV and played alot of Wii. Boredom has set in and we are both ready for school to start again!
We did get to go camping for the first time this year. We love to camp. We learned last year that we absolutely cannot camp if the night will be colder than 50! Monday night was going to be right around 50 degrees, so we suckered a friend of ours into going with us. After an earlier trip down many dirt roads in northeastern Oklahoma, we had the inspiration to go to the Great Salt Plains in Jet. If I've ever been there, it was much earlier in my life and I don't remember. So we took out and headed north. We found a decent campsite (with electricity and water of course) and set up overlooking the river. The only downside to the site was the PLETHORA of stickers! We got the tent up and everything loaded and made dinner (electric skillet spaghetti!). There was still a burn ban in the park, unless you built a fire in the grill, so we made a big enough fire to make s'mores (or smears as Colton called them).
The night was pretty cold, but we were prepared, so it wasn't too bad. Pancakes and sausage for breakfast. We packed everything up into the car except the tent (it was still dewy) and went out to explore the salt plains.
You cannot get to the actual plains until April 1st (so the signs say), but we did get to go up on an observation tower and take some pictures. Packed up the tent and headed home. It was a great trip to get us started for the season!
The rest of spring break faded away in boredom. Baseball for Colton starts next week, so maybe there will be more time to update? Maybe less. Who knows!
I can't get a picture to post, but I'll try again later.

Christmas and New Year Fun!

Thought I had better add at least a few pictures from our trip!

Eating dinner on the river walk in San Antonio

In front of the Christmas tree at Sea World San Antonio


Our favorite! Petting and feeding the dolphins at Sea World!

Posing with Shamu at Sea World on New Years Eve

In a cave in San Marcos, Texas on New Years Day