Mom & Boy in Trees

Tuck and I tree climbing

(this pic should be last, but somehow I deleted it and now it is first...oh well!)

Step One: a little push

Step Two: proper foot placement makes for a LESS AWKWARD climb

Step three: up I go!

Step Four: get settled for bird and puppy dog watching (other side of fence just below us)

Did you watch that show...Men In Trees? I did and really liked it, seems like every show I really like they discontinue at some point or other!! Trying to think of a post title reminded me of the show. I also really enjoyed climbing trees (and anything else) when I was younger. I think it was the challenge, I know it wasn't the scrapes and scratches!

We just got back from a visit home and while we were outside shooting hoops I noticed a tree in my Dad's front yard that was a great climbing tree...big branches and a low base. I can't imagine why we have never tried climbing it before! Really though, Tuck is my climber. He use to pull out the two bottom drawers in our kitchen and shimmy along the counter to open the doors for snacks. The other two never climbed up on the cabinet. Funny how each one comes up with something different on their own.

So anyway, I climbed up into the tree first, just to see if I could still do it and a little voice said "Mom can you help me get up in the tree"? After replacing flip flops with tennis shoes, up we went. It was great and so much fun. I really needed the childhood tomboy moment to be a kid again!

It was great to go visit and we got to stay a whole week which was fabulous!

Thanks Mom, Dad, Aunt Ann, Trista, and the whole McDougal family for a wonderful time!

We love and miss you all

Hugs, K

A visit back in time...

The last time we were in San Antonio was three years ago so Tuck was too young to remember the Alamo. And since Keyto and I are such lovers of history, we had to stop by again. It was hot and the place was packed, but we enjoyed a leisurely stroll through.

Of course, when we got back home we had to watch the movie!

It was great for Tuck's imagination to have just been there. I wish I could have heard his thoughts as he was watching and trying to relate to what he had seen at the Alamo.

Next time we go to Austin we have to go back to the Capital since Tuck has never been there and studied Texas history this last year. Keyto and I could go everytime we go to Austin!

I hope you are all having a great summer. We are heading home for a nice long visit!

See you soon:)

Hugs, K

Guiness Book of World Records

Our last day in San Antonio we ventured out again.

Keyto really wanted to check out the Guiness Book of World Records.

Largest Man in the world with smallest head!! Ha!

B and Joe DiMaggio

How many drum beats can you get in 60 seconds?

I honestly don't remember what they were doing in here!!

I tried talking them into the wax museum, but it was a no go!

SCAREDY CATS!

Hugs, K

Baseball in SA

We went to San Antonio for a baseball tournament and a mini vacation. It was just the boys and I, but we had a very nice time. We swam at the hotel, got lost downtown with some other players and parents which led to our first TAXI ride ever! We ate on the River Walk, toured the Alamo, and checked out The Guiness Book of World Records museum.

It was unanimous that while San Antonio has great sites and activities we wouldn't want to live there and didn't want to go back anytime soon (there was a slight chance we might have gone back for more baseball). Brando was slightly nervous the 2nd night we ventured downtown on our own and it was about 9:00 and we were trying to find our bus to take us back to the hotel. Keyto and Tuck were oblivious to any of the shady characters walking the streets, but B, well, he was beggin to ride in another TAXI to get us off the street corner. So, I gave in and the taxi ended up only costing 2.00 more than the bus! It was an experience! But, I was so proud of all of us for adventuring out and not being scared and sitting in the hotel room.

Hugs, K

West Texas

We went home this last weekend for a very special birthday party (more about that tomorrow)! It was our first trip home as a family (meaning with Brent) since we moved here 17 months ago. I have been back lots with the boys, Brent went back with work a few times and once with Brando, but never all of us in one car at one time staying at the same place and then back home in the same car! It was a great trip.

I wanted to show some pics of that part of Texas for those of you who have never been there. West Texas isn't hilly or full of trees like North or East Texas, but it is special mostly because it is HOME, but also because certain things make it unique.

The first is Taco Villa! Our most absolute favorite place to eat. You don't see TV in the Dallas or Austin area. I keep saying I am going to write a letter to the family (Brando went to school & played baseball with their son) who owns them in Lubbock and get them to put one here! This pic is in the car on our way back to Dallas. Grandad fed us a great breakfast, but by the time we got gas, went by Mom's and the baseball field, the boys needed their TV breakfast burrito fix. It worked out great, because they didn't eat again until we got to the house. We only had to stop once on the way home.

The second would be the cotton fields. They really are pretty with their white rows upon rows. It is stripping season so many farmers were out working on our way home Sunday.

And...most importantly the oil pumps. I can remember going places when I was little and trying to count these. They always reminded me of horses for some reason.

The other picture is something that has become more and more common in West Texas due to the winds. These create energy and they have muliplied like crazy in the last 2 years. I can't imagine living with them right outside my house, but there are many homes in the midst of these modern windmills.

I hope you enjoyed this little glimpse of West Texas.

Stay tuned tomorrow for a new little thing I want to do called FABULOUS FRIDAYS! I love the word Fabulous. I am going to show someone, someplace or something that is fabulous to me!

Hugs,

K