The River & my ode to Wendy hoppens

I learned several things on these trips to the river this year. 1. The hill country needs rain, the river was really low this year & 2. Wendy Hoppens is a SAINT, to put up with jason takes a very special woman...Here's to you Wendy!

Lane, nobody expects you to be perfect!

Garner State Park: The Hikes

I wound up taking so many pictures, I think it is easier to split my posts up by event. We hiked 2 days inside the park, one hike is to Crystal Cave & the other is up a mountain called Old Baldy to a cave called Icebox. Reagan had never made the hike to Icebox before this year, she was a champ, just as I suspected. Anytime Rusty or I offered her any help she would yell "I GOT IT!" and she did...she's an ole pro now. For the trip to icebox, some of our neighbors from Pearland drove into the park to hike with us, it was a big group & a lot of fun. The last time I had hiked up Old Baldy was when Rusty and I were dating many moons ago...we look like 2 entirely different people in those pictures. I will have to get around to posting those one day as a very sad comparison!
Here was all the kids that made it to Icebox Cave...



Reagan at the entrance into the cave





Here's the view of the Frio River and the dam inside the park, really great view!

OK, now on to Crystal Cave...

All the hikers at Crystal, it was a crew for sure with absolutely no whiners on the way down....ha

Morgan obviously LOVES hiking...

Tommy & AvreyWATER BREAK!The reward! All the kids did great, fun stuff! AND if you happened to notice that Reagan hiked 2 days in the same outfit, well that wasn't my idea, she said it was vacation & I couldn't argue with that!

We've Gotten the Urge to Roam!

guess where we are headed?!

In the western part of Texas 90 miles from of San Antone There's a place I go each summer. When I get the urge to roam, I stand out on the highway If I couldn't catch a ride I'd walk To Garner State Park Let's go to Garner State Park Come on along to Garner State Park Where the prettiest girls in Texas...

Better Late than Never!

Well we went to Yogi weeks ago, but I am now gonna put some pics... It was another great trip, kids had so much fun, just not in the water as much this time. I think at some level of heat, the pool isn't even refreshing anymore! This weekend was Yogi's "Chocolate Extravaganza" there was a chocolate slip n slide...disgusting if you ask me, but they didn't ask me. Here's Ray on the slide and all the kids after the fact.

g. Reagan & Maci were professional fly catchers!Halata Cutie Tootieshanging out in RD's truck...it was fun, lots of good food,good drinks,good laughs...according to the little Halata Rusty is no fun anymore! Jill we will work on that for Labor Day...can you hang? Thanks to all the families, we had a blast.

Funny Stuff

So, you must check ou this HILARIOUS website that I have stolen off my friend Mendi's blog! The long and short is daughters send in funny texts, letters, emails that they have received from their Moms. They are so funny! Ever having a bad day, look here:

http://www.postcardsfromyomomma.com/



Here is just a little sample of what you may read:

Reasons to Call Dad, from 1987
Sunday is father’s day. Call your dad and say something nice. He saved your life when you were choking around 1987. Thats the only reason I can come up with right now. Other than a “Thanks for the random fertilization and DNA shit.”

Flashback

June of last year we found ourselves camping at Yogi with our whole group. We are about to head back there this weekend, and I thought it might be fun to look back at last year's trip. When we get back I will have some more pictures and I can compare how much everyone has grown (Lord knows I have :-) geez!) Ayway, here they all are June of 2008...
Little Bella still had her paci!!

Uh oh, maybe not a great memory for Brian!

The Girls!

Brynna, Kaylee, Bella, Morgan, Kayla, Reagan (has grown a foot by now!) & Alyssa

Tucson, AZ

We took a little trip to Tucson with Rusty's mom, it was so relaxing! It was apparently unseasonably pleasant weather for Tucson, and we spent a lot of time outside. We stayed at a resort and every afternoon we found ourselves at the pool! We checked out the Desert museum, a State Park, and a trip to San Xavier Mission, the State park was cool, we took a tram through the park and got a little tour of the area. They were on a "High" level of threat for mountain Lions, so Reagan was all ready to flare up and seem intimidating to the lions! We didn't see any mountain lions so all was safe!

This was one of the views at our hotel They loved the hotel robes!San Xavier Mission

Grape kabobs in the pool!