Summer Vacation

This past week just the 4 kids and I drove south to visit my brother and his family in Texas. Our little GPS unit said our trip would take 6.5 hours and it was about right on the dot. I learned (from last year's trip) that there is a McDonalds' Playland about half-way and I stopped so the kids could get out and play before driving another 3 hours. That and the built-in DVD player saved me from the brink of insanity.
We didn't do a lot while there in the way of any big activities or places to see, but we had a great time. My brother and his wife have 2 little boys the same age as Mr. Smiles and Good Lookin'. We don't get to see them more than once or twice a year, but the kids are all close and kept asking this whole past year when we could go see them again.
Their family had just moved the week before out of a small apartment and into a new house and they now have a yard and lots of space in the house for the kids to play.




I think the highlight of the week was when my brother took the 6 kids and I to a park near their house that has a big pond and a walking track that runs all the way around it. Mr. Smiles had just learned to ride his bike the week before (without training wheels) and rode the half to 3/4 mile walking trail 5 times. Good Lookin' rode his trike around it twice and Abigail ran it once. I was amazed at their energy levels! I so wish I had brought the camera that time because there were ducks and cranes everywhere and the kids were following and catching and feeding this adorable little family of 11 baby ducks. They must be used to a lot of people because the mother duck didn't ever try to attack us.

Much of our time there was spent in the backyard pool playing, splashing, and spraying each other with the garden hose. Hours can happily pass when water and a garden hose is involved.

The other chunk of the time was busy spent at parks or playing Lego's.

No, I didn't sleep much and yes, at times, I thought I was crazy for going by myself. (Luke couldn't come due to work). I thought I was crazy last year and yet we all had such a good time just being together that I took the trip again this year and hopefully will get to again next year. I'm really hope that next year Luke will get enough time off to come with us, but he couldn't this summer due to all the time off with the various hospitalizations of both Mr. Smiles and Naters. (I'm praying for a somewhat calmer year in this coming one.)