Family Pictures

I was able to convince Abe that we needed to take some Christmas photos of the family so we set out on that adventure this weekend. We have always said that the Japenese tea gardens in town would make a perfect background so we drove across town on Saturday to make it happen. I have to say I was impressed with everyone's attitude. It probably helped that the kids loved the beautiful area and had fun playing as we went. And the candy promised at the end didn't hurt either.

 

We are continuing to work on a photography skills.  Here are some of my favorites but I still have hopes of sending out a Christmas card so I won't post my most favorites until I get the card done.

 

 

After our fun morning of pictures and dance class we went to Sea World for the afternoon to enjoy our one free visit this year.  I can't believe it has been a year since we were there last but winter is definitely the time to go.  The weather was perfect and the kids were so excited.  Last year Ethan thought the shows were painful to watch and we had to drag him to each of them.  But this year they were both so excited and ooo'ing and ahhh'ing the whole time.  It made it so worth the effort.

 

 

Ethan would have spent all day running through the ropes area if we let him.

 

 

Taylor always has to keep up with her brother and go on "scary" rides but then she is scared silly the whole time.  She made me cover her eyes on the tiny rollercoaster while she was shaking.

Taylor didn't want some stranger to take our picture so she had to pout.

Garner State Park

 I have really been wishing for a camping trip since the Spring but the summer was just too hot here in Texas. And then it seemed like Abe was getting unlucky with his days off so I had my doubts we would get a trip in before it got too chilly. Finally the stars aligned and Abe had a Friday/Saturday off that was supposed to be warm. I went through a google search on "Top 50 Places to Camp in Texas" and found some great options for state parks in Texas. So we decided on Garner State Park which was about 2 hours from where we live. It was another perfect camping trip. We got the kids right after school and heading out of town. We got there in time to get set up and cook dinner before the sun went down. It was a really beautiful place with the Frio river running through one side and some "mountains" on the other. It was a big park with over 500 campsites so it was hard to choose where to stay. We ended up picking a site on the river and the kids loved going through the tall grass and having the shallow river right behind us.

 The kids were awesome about going to bed at night but as always the sleeping isn't all that good while camping. Taylor kept uncovering herself and then wanting to snuggle because she was cold. There was a full moon out that night so the kids would wake up and think it was the sun coming up. Right after the kids went to bed we heard something outside the tent and Abe went to investigate. Whatever animal it was made a weird sound as Abe threw a stone to scare it off. I think I would have slept better if I had known what the animal was instead of just assuming the worst.

 In the morning we cooked breakfast and went on a hike to a cave up in the mountains. Taylor was a struggle to keep moving but Ethan did awesome on the 2 mile hike. We were glad we finished the hike in the morning because it got really warm once the clouds moved out of the area and the sun came out.  Here we are starting our hike and Taylor is already ready to be carried.

We had to take LOTS of breaks along the rocky trail.

 Abe and the kids ventured into the cave while I stayed outside.  Someone has to be ready to call for help when they get eaten by a bear.

 The view from the top of the mountain was beautiful.  The river just looked so inviting.

 Way too close to the edge for my taste.

The kids had a great time playing in the river and climbing rocks and going on a few more short hikes before we called it quits for the day. One day was definitely not enough time to enjoy everything the park had to offer but it was a fun little escape. I think the kids could have spent the day just playing in the shallow water behind our campsite.  Here they are fishing behind the campsite.  The thrill wore off quickly when they realized how hard it was to catch anything.

Abe enjoying his Slim Jim, which are required for camping at our house.

 The water was cool but so clear and beautiful.  I wish I would have thought to bring their life jackets or tubes to float in but I really didn't think it would be as warm as it was.

We found lots of big rocks to climb.

 They had a lot of huge cedar trees in the area that were just amazing.

 After we got home and got everyone ready for bed I guess Ethan decided he wasn't done camping so he got him sleeping bag out and made a bed for himself beside our bed.  We never know where we will find that boy when we go to bed.

It was a great mini vacation and we can't wait to go back.  Anyone up for some camping with us??

More Fall Fun

We have been able to enjoy some more fall fun lately.  We carved a pumpkin with some good friends.  Which was rotten within a few days and was covered in black mold before I forced the kids to let me throw it away.  We also went to a pumpkin patch with Taylor's joy school class. 

But of course the most fun of all was all the Halloween activities.  And there were so many of them.  Both of the kids had "Fall Fest" at their schools on the same night.  We did make it to both for lots of fun games and seeing all their school friends.  Then we had the ward Trunk or Treat which happened to be on the only cool night we have had all fall.  We had to make a run to Target to find Taylor a long sleeve shirt to wear under her dress to keep her warm.  Then we had some Halloween play dates, Halloween parties at school, and finally trick or treating.  So here are some of my favorite pictures from all the holiday fun.

Ethan is the red Power Ranger and Taylor was Cinderella. They both took their roles very seriously.  Ethan was wild and crazy as usual with lots of karate moves through out the night.  Taylor was constantly showing me how princesses lift their dresses to run and was so lady like and adorable.  We went over to a friend's house to eat pizza and go trick or treating and the kids were having a fun time playing while we waited for it to get dark.  It was mainly boys and they were running around in the backyard with fake guns and grenades and then I see Taylor in her princess dress crotched down in the bushes with a bazooka looking quite ready for battle.  She has a great mix of princess and tomboy in her and I love it.

For preschool all the kids put on a parade for the parents.  Taylor was so cute as she led the line and waved so sweetly.  Her favorite friend is right behind her in line so I know she was loving that.  She cracks me up with the things she tells me about her school friends.  She is very concerned about one boy that she believes can't talk yet, can't pour water at snack time and pretty much couldn't function without her.  She has an rival that sounds to be an exact replica of Taylor when it comes to being bossy and helpful all at the same time.  Its funny to hear her tell me about Chloe helped the little boy and she will roll her eyes and say "She is SO bossy."  Oh the pot calling the kettle black!



Our First Half Marathon

A few months ago a friend of ours was trying to talk me into doing a half marathon with her.  I can't say that running is my thing, and I'm very slow, and I have never run more than 3 miles at once so I was hestitant to agree to do it. But I did need something to motivate me to work out more often so I decided to start following a training schedule and if I didn't die along the way then I would do the race.  I talked Abe into training with me so I could have even more motivation.  It turned out to be a lot more fun than I thought.  Each week it was kind of fun to run futher than I had ever run before.  But it was a lot of hours on the treadmill.  Thank goodness for cable tv at the gym on each treadmill or I might not have made it through some of those long runs.  And thank goodness for an amazing husband that did it with me even with his long days at work and being so busy!  It was really great to have someone to complain to who was going through it with me.

Here we are right before the race started. Our friend's husband and kids were there and tooks some pictures along the way so it was fun to try and figure out where he would show up next.

Me and my wonderful friend who talked me into running.  She is such a strong woman to take on a half marathon at 26 weeks pregnant.  As a veteran half marathon running she was a great resource and so fun to run with.  

 Don't be fooled by the smile or the flat landscape in the background.  I was dying by the end. All the reviews on the marathon talked about it being a hilly course and it really was.  Mile 11 felt up hill the whole way.  After training on a treadmill the hills were my biggest fear so I was excited that I could keep running the whole way even with the hills.

 Shala and I started out running together but went our separate ways eventfully but for most of the race I could see Abe in his bright red shirt in front of me.  It kept me moving a little faster than I might have done otherwise.

 Abe finishing the race.

Both of us just after we finished. I can't remember ever being so physically tired but it was a good time. Although I really didn't keep track of my pace the whole race I was excited to finish at 2:11. Since it was actually 13.4 miles it was right in line with what I was expecting.  And since my goal had just been to finish and not walk I was feeling pretty good.  Abe finished at 2:14.  We had talked about bringing the kids to watch us but enthusiasm for the race wasn't all that high from our children.  Ethan had a party to go to in the afternoon and he kept worrying that I would run so slow that we would miss the party.  He kept trying to talk me out of it by saying "You know you aren't going to win right?" I explained that of course I wasn't going to win but the fun was in doing something new and doing your best.  He didn't buy it.  I have raised a true realist. He did tell me that I might make it in 5th place.  Little did he know that even that would be impossible.

The Corn Maze

 Last Saturday we decided to take a little drive to a corn maze with some friends for their military appreciation day.  It was a really busy Saturday with Abe working in the morning and me taking the kids to a gymnastics place and a fun 8-mile run so needless to say we were all a little tired for this late afternoon adventure but we were so glad we went.  The kids were so excited about going through the maze and still remember the maze we went through 2 Falls ago back in Virginia.  I was missing the cool Fall weather from Virginia but there was a little breeze so we wouldn't die in heat.

Ethan and his friend were the official guides through the maze so needless to say we did not get through it quickly.  But they had a blast being in charge and leading the way.  On the second maze some teenagers that worked there finally had pity on us and gave us some hints on how to get out.  It was a lot of walking for those little legs but they did pretty good.

Along with the maze the farm had bales of hay for jumping on and a big inflatable "pillow" that the kids and adults alike could jump on.  I can't say I was really that interested after my long run but Abe and our friends seemed to have a fun time.  And the kids loved it of course!  It was a fun time and well worth the effort.  Fall is such a fun time of year.  Finally today it actually started feeling like fall.