Swimming Pool

We have been too busy swimming in our pool to post on our blog. Yes, that's right we got a swimming pool. It is 15' by 42" round. It is one of those cool blue pools with the blow up ring. It has been so much fun. You see, we've always wanted a pool and when we moved into our last house in 2000 we started a pool fund. We simply collected all of our spare change. There was just one major problem. I didn't know how to swim so I was too nervous to get one. But I have been taking lessons and am swimming laps at the gym. And Annie and Emerson are fish so we decided to get a pool. The coolest part.... Our pool fund covered the cost of the pool!!!! That's what 9 years of saving your change will get you! It helped that the pool was on clearance since it is the end of the season. But we still have 6-10 weeks of swimming in Central Texas.
It really makes these dog days of summer tolerable. Come on over and join us for a swim!!!

Grandpa Chuck and Daddy built a fence with a locking gate for safety.

Oceans

To complement our Ocean studies Mike took the kids to Corpus Christi. They enjoyed the beach and the Texas State Aquarium. He also took them to a Monster Truck show but I'll let him post about that.

Our Ocean Diorama....

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Hamilton Pool

Today we met our buddies Mary Sofia and Josie at Hamilton Pool. The pool is a collapsed grotto and canyon, formed by thousands of years of water erosion. There is a 50 foot waterfall that you can swim under too. The kids were champs as they hiked the 1/2 mile down the steep rocky trail and back up after a full morning of swimming with the fish under the water fall (which wasn't gushing but was still cool). My pictures do not do this place justice.

More Rochester Pics

Sweet Reese

Mike's Dad, Mike, his bro Ryan and Emerson

Annie, cousin Travis, Emerson, and Reese using Em as a footstool...

We just got back from a 10 day trip to Rochester, NY to visit friends and family. We got to meet our first niece, Reese. Of course we enjoyed seeing her mommy and daddy too. And her Grammy and Bompa.

Daddy and Uncle Ryan celebrated their birthdays together complete with a showering of rose petals collected by Annie, Emerson and Grammy.

Here's Reese and Emerson.

Annie and Grammy playing with baby Reese.

Great Uncle Dan and the kiddos on his Triumph. Dan and Jackie rode all the way from New Hampshire.

Amy (my friend since 1976) and Marty came from Boston with Flora and Charley. It was the first time meeting sweet Charley too. It was nice to see our kids play together.

Exploring a cool creek.

At the mini Wegmans inside the Strong National Museum of Play. This is one of the coolest children's museums in the States, for sure. This store is an exact replica of a grocery store complete with real cash registers and receipts.

Emerson is helping Charley fix his car.

Bompa pulling Emerson in a sled. There wasn't any snow but things sure were lush and green.

At Lake Ontario, Emerson and Bompa, aka Dr. Dirt, made a sweet sand castle.

We also got to meet Mike's sweetest and newest cousin, Travis, but somehow we didn't get any pictures with our camera.

It was awesome to see Grammy and Bompa and so many Grandmas, Aunts, Uncles, cousins and friends!

Baseball Videos

Here's some video from baseball camp....

Annie's Baseball Camp

Annie had a blast in her baseball camp. The non-competitive camp was coached by Waldorf teacher David Darcy and included children ages 6-10. Annie was so sweet. The first time she was up to bat she hit the ball and stood there with a lovely smile on her face. The kids told her to run, which she did with the bat until someone told her to drop it. She made it to first base. The next kid hit the ball and Annie just stood there. He was headed toward her on first base. The kids were shouting for her to run and she ran right across the field directly to third base. The sweet thing is that none of the kids laughed or yelled at her they just reminded her to go to 2nd base then 3rd. By the end of the first day she had this game down. This was exactly the environment she needed to learn baseball in. No pressure or embarrassment. Just sweet children guided by a gentle coach.

Lost Parrot Cabins

Mike planned a surprise anniversary get away weekend for us at Lost Parrot Cabins near Lake Travis in Austin. We enjoyed relaxing in the pool, reading in the porch hammocks, and the joy of being with each other. We were so very relaxed at the end of the weekend. Thank you, honey for an awesome weekend. And thank you Mom for keeping the kiddos!

Inks Lake

We celebrated Mother's Day weekend camping at beautiful Inks Lake State Park with some friends and their kiddos. We spent most of the time in the lake relaxing. Mike gave the kids fishing poles and Emerson caught a foot long bass (5")! Thanks Tracey and Godfrey for a wonderful weekend!!

Kerville!!

Emerson in the Rapids of The Guadalupe River

(all of these pictures and video were taken with my cell phone....so the quality suffers...the pictures do not do the beauty of this place justice)


We have been so busy and having a great summer so far. Camping at Inks Lake, Swimming lessons, Art camp in Kerrville, building a wood working shop, finishing the shed, updating the kitchen, painting our bedroom, an amazing romantic anniversary get away, baseball camp, summer solstice party and too much more to mention. I just need to get started with updating....
So here we go....

Kerrville, TX.

We had a great time staying with friends in Kerrville. The kids spent a week in Art Camp at The Hill Country Arts Foundation. The week ended with their art work displayed in a gallery setting. Annie's class made cool fairy books and Emer's class explored different media.


The classes were cool but the highlight of the week was spending time with 7 kids and their mama's. Our friend has a beautiful house on the top of a big hill where you could see for miles and miles. There were 3 moms and all the kids played and played and the week went on without a hitch.


Thanks Jennifer for an awesome week!!

Following are two videos of the kids playing in the rapids at a place called Mo Ranch on the Guadalupe River in Hunt, TX. We had so much fun we spent the entire day there.... Oh, and Annie caught 23 fish with her hands while we were there too (minnow sized).

Emerson is the crazy little boy in the yellow life vest. These are videos taken with my phone. I can't figure out how to convert .3g2 video so you can not hear the sound.....but anyway you get the picture.