Texas Sized-
I guess you could say this blog isn’t really going in chronological order but more like when I get around to writing then what I am thinking about at the time. Today I was organizing pictures on my computer- OCD in me my pictures are organized in files just like they were in a file cabinet. J Okay enough about that, but as I was organizing I came across pictures of my trips to my parents’ house with the boys this summer.
The first was for my sister Bridgette’s confirmation. It was our official kick off to summer as Noah had just had his last day of school the day before and it happened to be over Memorial Day weekend.
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| Aunt Mary giving Makaela her first pedi |
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| Aunt Bridgette and Caleb |
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| Aunt Bridgette, the Allen boys, Uncle Ethan and Robert |
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| Sweeter Picture but check out the tortilla in Eli's hand |
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| Bridgette and Mary |
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| Aunt Bridgette and Makaela |
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| Aunt Mary and Makaela |
We were also there to celebrate my brother David’s birthday. I think we did cake mostly for the kids, when you are turning 28 I don’t think you have Kung Fu Panda and Spider-Man cookie cakes on your birthday to do list!
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| Happy Birthday Uncle David |
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| Eli sneakng icing off the cake |
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| Aunt Lauren and Makaela |
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| Uncle David an Ian |
The rest of that trip was just our normal trip to the Gallanders filled with shopping and catching up on movies.
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| Off to Austin- Eli is already asleep before we hit the highway |
The second trip was to escape the house when John had to go to Seattle for work. We arrived and hit the track to practice with Uncle Ethan. I think Noah and Ian put Forest Gump to shame running basically the entire time we were there. I even think Noah suffered his first shin splints.
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| Noah before the shin splints |
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| Ian- "I can out run Uncle Ethan" |
Then we went to one of the local water spout park. I think we go here just about every summer and the kids love it. They ran and played and then played at the park next to it.
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| Teaming up against Aunt Bridgette |
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| Fun just watching |
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| Break from the water |
Mom and family friend Diane decided to plan an adventure for the kids one day so off we went. Diane and her son Robert were also with us, which is the only way my boys would have it. They are crazy about Robert and talk about him all the time after we see them. We rode a train into downtown Austin and then a bus to the Bob Bullock Texas Museum. The boys loved the train! At the museum we saw two “interactive” movies. These movies were about Texas weather and Texas spirit. The interactive part was that they had it set up where at certain parts the air would blow, mist would spray and lights flash like you are in the storm. They poked the seats when rattlesnakes came out and blew air at your hair when they had locust. During the Texas Revolution part, Noah kept asking why, who, etc so we stopped to watch the short film about it. It told a little about the background of pre-revolution and then went into the Alamo and San Jacinto to the Texas Independence. After it was all over and the video made it clear by saying “Texas won” their independence; Noah asked “Did Texas win?” It was good for my “made in Texas” boys to experience a little of what makes Texas, Texas!
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| Waiting for the train |
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| Here comes the TRAIN! |
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| Hanging out waiting for the bus after the museum |
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| Aunt Rachel and Eli |
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| Me and my crew |
After the ride back on the train, Noah asked Grandma “So what is our next adventure?”
