So the trip started out with the usual attempt the kids make to take everything in their rooms. Luckily for me Grandpa showed up at just the right moment in order to get the big kids straight. He started by having them empty the, no less than 5, bags they had each packed as “carry ons” .
Then came the task of prioritizing what or who they each wanted to take. I told The Rhino he could take one stuffed animal, as the ones he had chosen were all rather large. When he negotiated for 3 I said “how many do you have in there?” and he told me, with quite an embarrassed little grin that he was trying to take “7 stuffed animals”. Needless to say they all gave up some of their stuff and we got it down to a manageable amount. Thanks Grandpa.
August 14, 2009
Photo 14 - A Green Prickly
There is a lot of this stuff around here and when your 2 year old hasn’t ever really seen it or doesn’t really know the rules surrounding it things can get rather “sticky”. Little Man hasn’t gotten stuck by a green prickly yet but I’m sure that his curiosity will get the best of him before too long.
We have a long tradition of BB guns at the house in the Hill Country. The Rhino loves them and he loves to come up here just so he can shoot them, I’m sure that will be one of his fondest memories. They are the same BB guns that my brothers and I used when we were little and I love that they will also be the BB guns my kids memories will be made of.
Here is evidence that my kids are really from the city, they won’t go anywhere in the woods without a companion. I love this picture, it looks like they just accomplished something great and they are so happy about it. Oh wait I think I know what they did, they both found really “cool” walking sticks.
This evening on our walk I saw this really great old windmill. I would love to call it Photo 14 second place. I loved it and the kids did too. It was great to listen to as we walked by. There is such a quiet stillness out here that even the little things like this windmill moving makes a great noise. As I write this I am listening to the birds in the chimney chirp !!! I guess we won’t be having a fire this trip .
August 15, 2009
Photo 15 - Biscuits Anyone?
It’s all about the biscuits !! When we come up here it’s like a ritual sacrifice for the Mayans, we must have drop biscuits along with BACON !!! The biscuits come straight from my mom, she always made them when we were up here and I think it’s kind of what I expect and what I love.
After lunch we took a drive thru the country and ended up going to a place called The Blue Hole. This is a swimming hole, or part of a creek where people go to swim and relax, similar to Barton Creek in Austin. The Rhino absolutely loves this place and especially the rope swings. All the kids had a complete ball, even Little Mama totally dug the rope swing, although every time I tried to get a picture she had already jumped in the water, oh well.
August 16, 2009
Photo 16 - Plate Glass Wall
Today we started out with a few Blueberry Pancakes in town and then headed to the glass blowing factory they have here. We had taken the older kids before so they remembered seeing the demonstration and were very exited to see it again. But let me tell you that taking a 2 yr old into a store that sells VERY expensive glass stuff was enough to make me very tense(ok more tense then I usually am). Our pocket book came out unscathed as well as did the glass shops inventory.
We then went home for a nap, yes an early nap after breakfast and we must have needed it because Big Daddy, Little Man and myself ended up sleeping for the next 2 hours. I LOVE VACATIONS !!! We then moved onto our next outing which was the swimming hole again. The Rhino and Little Mama are swimming fiends and I love that they aren’t afraid to swim with the fish and the turtles. Of course they didn’t believe that there were anything but little baby minos or fish, I didn’t even go trough the whole snake talk because I didn’t want to freak myself out. But boy is that fresh creek water cold!!!!
Then to top the day off and end the vacation in the way that I grew up ending it, we had S'mores tonight. The kids love it, except Little Mama who is afraid of the marshmallows burning. Kind of like me. Bringing the kids up here reminds me of all the ways that they take after me, or maybe all the ways I take after my mom and am now passing on to my kids.
Staci, I love these pictures from your trip. It's pretty great to have had those times yourself; even better to pass them along to your kids. It sounds like you guys had the perfect vacation, just what you needed after all of that house stress.
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