The Road Trip

I would be remiss to mention that while Grammy and Big Daddy were at our house, they celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary.  Wow.  I was feeling pretty good with seven years under my belt.  Grammy flew down the night before my surgery to, of course, take care of me.  Big Daddy arrived on Friday.  Considering they were about to spend two weeks solid with my family, we sent them out on Saturday night for a special anniversary dinner.  Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad!

Sunday morning was departure.  Big Daddy firmly enforces an 8am push back time anytime he travels.  We beat the socks off that.  The entire clan was on the road at 6:57am. **Cue the theme song to Vacation**We chose to spend the night in Mississippi to break up the drive.  We probably didn't need to do that, but we did and it made for a more relaxing drive knowing we weren't pressed for time.  Thus, when we were a mere hour out of town, Babe decided he wanted to take the boys to Bridge City.  He had not-so-fond childhood memories of the bridge in town and really wanted to check it out again and show the boys.  It was as steep and as scary as he remembered it.  This bridge goes over the Bay of Houston, obviously, over the shipping channel.

We actually passed over some pretty impressive bridges on our way to Florida.  One bridge wasn't so tall, but long.  We had to make a potty stop before we embarked, as I was certain one of my toots would have to go potty on the 26 mile bridge with no shoulders.

We arrived in Biloxi for our hotel stay, which was just as exciting for the boys as getting to Florida.  JLS was most impressed that he got to spend the night with Grammy and Big Daddy in their room.  JBS, WHS, Babe and I crashed early in our room after dinner and a quick dip in the pool to work off some energy!

We packed back in to our car like sardines the next morning, foot propped with every baby need and food need available within arms reach in addition to the toys for JBS and JLS.  How I do look forward to a road trip with some leg room! (Should both my legs be functional, of course.)  Granny, do you see Baby Brother in the pic below? 

The final bridge was, indeed, the bridge in Florida...so close to our destination...Watercolor Beach.

Of course, the car in the picture is clearly our vehicle as identified by Babe's terribly retarded rear view mirrors.  The Sonic girls have no shame in asking, "What are those?"  I actually avoid telling them my husband is weird and always reply, "Oh.  They help when we pull the boat."  (We haven't pulled the boat since we moved to Texas)  You know.  I just pick my battles and rear view mirrors aren't one of the battles I choose.

Florida, here we come!

In Summary

It is so hard to know where to begin!  Since the oil spill in the Gulf in the Spring, we have been planning our summer assuming that our trip to Florida would be cancelled.  The thirty day window came and went and Watercolor Beach was still oil free.  Two years ago, we planned beach trip and a hurricane hit where we were going, last summer I was 9 months pregnant and this summer oil was threatening our vacation.  It was very disheartening.  The boys wanted to go to the beach so bad. 

Around May, I slipped and hurt my knee.  While it seemed fine at first, it got worse a week later and never got better.  By the time I made it to the orthopedic doctor, he confirmed that I had torn my meniscus and I needed surgery...before my vacation in two weeks.  So, I had surgery on a Thursday and on Sunday, we were very grateful to be heading to the beach...leg propped and all. Gratefully, we had invited my parents to go with us this time, as they were a tremendous help with me hobbling around to and from the beach.  If you gotta be stranded somewhere, why not be stranded on the beach?

The boys were troopers in the car, and I mean TROOPERS.  We broke our drive into two days on the way to Florida, but we drove straight home to Houston on our way home.  We unloaded our car and packed Mom and Dad's car and the boys and I headed to the lake with Grammy and Big Daddy the very next morning.  Ten more hours.  The real rush was so that JBS, JLS and I could go to Kanakuk with Vin and Paulie to pick up Go-Go and G2.  JBS will be seven next summer and I wanted him to see camp so he could see just how fun it really is.  We arrived at the lake Saturday evening, let Grammy and Big Daddy keep watch over WHS, and JBS, JLS and I headed 3 more hours to Missouri on Sunday.  For the record, the three of us were really over driving by the end of our trip.  But they did so well.  The only unfortunate event occurred in Big Daddy's car (funny).  JBS, aka the giggle box, laughed so hard at JLS that he wet his pants.  I kid you not.  As unbelievable as it sounds, it happened.  The kid can laugh and obviously he can lose control of his bladder in the process.

Our return home was just as comical, but much quicker!  The boys and I flew home together...alone.  I, in a wheelchair pushed by JLS, and JBS pushed WHS in the stroller.  We had plenty of bewildered on-lookers.  We did it, though!  All three boys were rock stars and Southwest Airlines continues to impress.  They took excellent care of us, as crazy as this mother might have been to travel alone with three boys post knee surgery. 

So, many fun stories to come.  Lots of pictures...poor Grammy still hasn't remedied her picture issues, so she is mailing me a CD. 

Lunch at Aviators Grill

We have just returned from two wonderful weeks of vacation.  We had a great time and I have lots of pictures to post.  I am still waiting for some pictures from my technically challenged mom.  Bless her heart is all I can say.  She used to blame the computer, but now they have a new one. We now know where the issues lie. In the meantime, I will catch you up on a few pre-trip events that have yet to be posted!

There is a "little" airport just south of here that I recently discovered was one of the largest private airports in the nation.  It feels quaint, but I guess there is a lot of coming and going out of that airport.  What I love about that airport is that it is on the "back roads."  I love getting out of The Woodlands where everything is so planned and orchestrated to a T.  When I drive on the back roads, I always find fun and exciting places to check out.  I passed Hooks Airport many times and always noticed a sign for "Aviator's Grill."  I have had it in the back of my mind as a great summertime trip for the boys.  We could eat lunch and watch the airplanes take off and land.  The boys would love it.

So, one Saturday, we did it.  Babe and the boys and I loaded up and headed to the airport.  First and foremost, there was a pond at the entrance with lots of ducks.  We could have gone home from here, as this was quite a bit of excitement to play with the ducks.  We had  a good lunch and watched the airplanes.  There was even a Coast Guard helicopter that we watched lift off....for a very, very, very long time.

I was most excited when I saw a little flying school called, "American Flyers."  All my life, I have heard my Dad refer to his time at American Flyers in Ardmore, OK.  He flight instructed there to gain hours in the cockpit when he was young....a long time ago.  (hee hee) I know Dad told me that the American Flyers had shut down, but as it turns out, this was the same company, just in a different location.  I talked to the young man there and asked if it was, indeed, the same company.  I also told him about Dad and that he was a retired Southwest Airlines pilot and he thought that was really cool.  So, for Dad, we took a picture of the boys in front of the American Flyers plane.

By this time, the clouds started rumbling and the rain started coming, so with our mission accomplished, we headed home.  Definitely a trip worth repeating!

4th of July Fireworks

We had such a great time with John's family in town for the 4th.  We are typically at the lake for the big celebration so all was new to us being in "the city."  We were very grateful to Gambo and Poppy for keeping WHS at home while we went with AJ and Uncle Heath and their kids to the fireworks here in The Woodlands.  We drove to the top of the parking lot in Market Street for a birds eye view of the fireworks.  We couldn't believe we got such a great spot.  In hindsight we wondered if the other people on the top floor with us were also new to the local fireworks.  We sat in the parking garage for an hour just trying to get to the bottom of the garage.  Then the traffic on the way home....oh dear.  If you can only imagine Babe's sour reaction to sitting in traffic for so long.  Babe doesn't do traffic well.  And while the fireworks were beautiful, we will never make that mistake again.  We will be as far as possible from the location of the fireworks as possible while still being able to catch a reflection.  Babe will never get that close again.

However, before we discovered our mistake, we had a great time. We caught the tail end of the booths and fun stuff in our town's center. The boys got balloon swords and played with their cousin KM.

Cutie JLS with his fierce sword...

The clan waiting for the fireworks to begin...

Hanging with KM...

Baby RM with Uncle Heath...

Babe's sister and her whole family awaiting the show...

All in all, it was a great 4th...

...minus the traffic.

4th of July Swimming

The boys were having so much fun having their cousin, KM, here to play with.  However, it rained and rained and rained.  They even played outside in the rain digging up snails, a favorite past time for JBS and JLS.  However, they were eaten alive by mosquito bites.  Little did I know, the boys had captured their baby snails and placed them in a cup on my front porch window ledge.  When I woke up the next morning, snails were COVERING my window plus their sludgy little snail tracks streaked behind them.  ICK.

So, when the sun peeked out on Sunday, we headed to the pool...with everyone else in town.  We love taking visitors to the pools here, as the pools are like resorts and are always quite impressive.  This time, we went to Creekside, which has a lazy river amongst all the water slides and play equipment in the water.  It was fabulous.  Uncle Heath and Babe took the big kids to play and AJ and I took the babies straight to the lazy river.  The babies loved the water and so did the mommies!

Soon enough, we met up for a snack and dried off so we could head home before the evening festivities kicked off. 

This little chunk of love is a mere 11 days older than WHS...

Unfortunately for her, at this stage in the game, WHS has the good metabolism, but oh! how I love those creases.  I picked her up when she was crying and almost fell over.  She is a lead weight.  I remember those days with JBS.  How I loved those days...

And the cool cats...well, at least one is a cool cat, one is a cool bat...

4th of July Parade

When we went to bed Friday night, I was certain the parade Saturday morning would be rained out.  Having a hurricane in The Gulf the week of July 4th doesn't bode well for holiday festivities in south Texas.  However, when I woke up, the sky was overcast, but the ground was dry.  We threw our clothes on, loaded the kids in the car and headed to the 4th of July Parade in The Woodlands.  We arrived in perfect time, as the parade was just beginning as we walked up and found a perch in the perfect spot.  For the record, it was hot, stifling hot.  Only in Houston can the humidity be so oppressive.  In fact, after an hour of watching the parade with no end in sight, we left because it was just so hot...at 9am!

There were multiple big trucks full of military and military families.  The trucks were impressive when sitting up so close to the road.  Every single vehicle got a standing ovation.  Something about patriotism always brings tears to my eyes.  Knowing all those families have sacrificed and knowing their baby boys and girls are off fighting....ah! I cried each time a vehicle passed and people stopped and clapped for them.

I thought this was the cutest costume, although I didn't get a great shot.  It was a float for The Woodlands.  Have you ever seen a pine cone costume?  It was so cute...

Here is Uncle Heath bonding with the Sheriff.  At this point, he was drenched in sweat. (Who wears jeans and long-sleeved shirt in Houston in July?)  All I heard him say was, "We aren't from these parts..."

This was too cute.  The Woodlands High School's mascot is "The Highlanders."  And this was their car in the parade.  Evidently the money in the schools isn't an issue in Texas...

Happy 4th!  More to come!

4th of July Prep

This is the first 4th of July since my parents have had their lake house that we were not at the lake.  It was a combination of factors that kept us in Houston.  For one, our vacation was scheduled too close and both long driving trips back to back might put us over the edge.  I also love to water ski and, for the most part, I am usually not able to ski over the 4th because the water is just too rough.  Since I don't get to go to the lake very often anymore, I thought we could hit the lake on a non-holiday weekend so I could actually enjoy the lake for the first time in a long time.  Last summer I was too pregnant to barely even get out on the boat and this summer I was ready to go....until I hurt my knee.  Today, in fact, I am having surgery to repair a torn meniscus.  There is no grand story behind it, it just store when I slipped in the garage one day and it hurts, a lot.  While I do get to go back to the lake later this summer, there will once again, be no water skiing for me.

In lieu of the lake, we invited Babe's family down for a 4th of July, The Woodlands style.  We always enjoy having Babe's family here.  On Saturday, his extended family came over for a cook out and hang out.  Of course, the patio was not completed as expected and it rained.  But we still had fun!  The boys and I prepared a lot ahead of time for the big bash.  JLS and JBS love helping me in the kitchen.  This time they particularly enjoyed using the Food Processor.  We couldn't find enough things to shred.  Noise and destruction always bring excitement to their world.

Of course, WHS was always on the prowl somewhere close by.  I guess he decided he was hungry.  Just like a little raccoon.  Nothing is safe with WHS around...

The Medicine Man

There has always been a little "What will he do?" surrounding Big Daddy.  But this one might take the cake.  I can't remember if I have ever mentioned that my parents are now referred to as the "Bone Collectors" at the lake.  It started when they found a few animal skulls in the woods.  Then, they found other skulls in other places and it became a collection.  Big Daddy saw a dead beaver on the side of the road last year, pulled over, retrieved it and took it to a taxidermist to remove the pelt.  When he told him that he really just wanted the bones, the Taxidermist turned Dad over to another man.  A beetle man.  Yes, this man has special beetles that he uses on bones to eat and remove all the "gunk" off a skeleton to clean it up.  The beetle man loved Dad's cause and when he returned to retrieve his beaver bones, the Beetle Man threw in a few extra sets of bones.  Another friend at the lake found the skull of a calf and brought it to dad.  Bone Collectors, I tell you.  Of all the collections to have...

What do you do with loads of bones?  You wait until Man Camp and hide them in the woods and have little boys find them.  I know it was a hit, but even more interesting was Big Daddy's new pelt...one I didn't know about...

So, the boys were off with buckets in hand to find bones in the woods.    Beavers, calves, skunks, foxy loxy, and who-knows-what.  I can't think of an activity that is better suited for a group of boys and a skunk-hat-wearing Big Daddy.

The boys returned with their buckets full and the Medicine Man appears to be happy with their progress...

I'm thinkin' this one has to be fake...

I hope.

Man Camp Activities

Man Camp activities continued to the pool where there was some serious swimming going on...

The boys' are fish and I love it.  It is such a feeling of relief knowing both boys can swim on their own and with total confidence.  What a milestone.  Two down and one to go...

The boys also love the big sand pile in front of Big Daddy's house.

(To be clear "Big Daddy's House" is the lake house and "Grammy's House" is their house in Bartlesville.  Not sure why, but this is how it is...)

And finally.  It's JLS and the Snoop Dog.  The boys have attached themselves to our old Snoopy's.  They love to change their clothes and sleep with them.  JLS, per report, took his Snoopy everywhere he went, including riding in the Jeep. 

I tried to find Snoopy on the Internet once and the only one I found was $150.  Those little Snoopy's are quite valuable!