Cheep! Cheep!

Remember our pet bird eggs on our front porch? We came home from Dallas to find babies! They are super little and sweet. We did not want to get too close but will try to capture a photo every few days. The kids love watching their stages of life.

Six Flags Over Texas

We spent our annual "6 hours at Six Flags" yesterday. My free-range boys were brave enough to ride without their motion sick mom for a while and even discovered the joys of single rider lines. The last 2 hours of the night they rode non-stop on a huge water ride...sending them home drenched. It was nice to actually sit back and watch them go without me!

Barton Creek Farmers Market

In desperate search for Armenian cucumbers (my latest addiction,) we headed to the Barton Creek Farmers Market early Saturday morning. The place was packed with locals buying cage-free, hormone-free, insecticide-free, anything-free products. The kids quickly spotted the petting zoo and had 5 minutes to hold bunnies, turtles, guinea pigs, a hedgehog, and a chinchilla. After a messy all natural popcicle, we spotted the gorgeous cucumbers at the very last stand!

Bike-mania #1 ~ Shoal Creek Trail

1. Load up 7 bikes, 5 kids, 1 trailer and head downtown...might as well make a day of it!
2. Park and unload at a splash pad for some morning fun.
3. Head south on the trail 0.7 miles...FUN! Eat a snack, throw rocks, laugh, etc.
4. Head back north on the trail stopping off at our favorite BMX park for some dirt ramp excitement.
5. Return to the splash pad to cool off, eat a picnic lunch, and play at the park. Kids are still having the time of their life...total mileage so far 1.3!
6. Decide to head north on the trail now...it is getting HOT outside, hoping the trail stays shaded.
7. Path is now a rugged terrain and uphill. Kids are whining, hot and thirsty. Check I-Phone to find a snow cone stand ahead close (right!)
8. Almost 4 miles into our day, we see the stand. As I promised at mile 3, "Medium size snow cones for everyone!" (That is what kept them going.) Kids are smiling again.
9. Take the sidewalk back to the splash pad rather than the path, much easier. Downhill, we are all happy again.
10. One last time at the splash pad and park...total miles 6.0. Outside temperature 106. Our kids rock!

New Race Name

The "Mav-beens" will no longer cut it for our team name. I guess my other half and I need to find another for our fun races. The Dallas Mavericks are not "have-beens" any more. They are now the NBA Champions for the first time ever. GO MAVS!

Let Summer Begin!

As soon as school let out, we rushed the boys up to Camp Grandma. Today I met my mom in Waco for the hand off. Too hot for the zoo, we chose to meet at the historic Waco Suspension Bridge. Built out of almost 3 million bricks, supplies hauled by oxen, and opened in 1869, it was the passage across the Brazos River for cattle and cowboys who traveled the Chisholm Trail for 5 cents a head.

After playing in the nearby park, eating a picnic, running the bridges, and hugging Grandma good bye, we headed south and are ready for our lazy summer days to begin!

Spring = Babies

I must have one of the most welcoming houses on the street because so many 'mothers' are flocking to my door, literally! Yesterday I discovered this nest full of eggs in the plant on my porch and this morning I found this mommy (or daddy) with his 5 snake-lings near my trash can.

Hike and Swim

Today Fran asked to hike so we explored a new trail in Lakeway. The Canyonlands are multiple hiking paths that loop so you never have to see the same thing twice. And the hikes are easy, shaded, and filled with all sorts of nature's treasures.

Sharing the same parking lot (convenient!) is the Lakeway Swim Center. A great way to cool off and get some sunshine.

Mommy Camp

While the boys are away at Camp Grandma keeping busy with fun things like Lego Land, water parks, movies at the theater and date nights, Fran and I are staying out of trouble ourselves.

Stringing beads, sticker art, swimming pools, splash pads, trips to the library, and yogurt dates fill our days. The best part is we have yet to drive the car...we have biked everywhere and the fresh air knocks Fran out! Here is to a quiet hour all alone :)

Summertime

My full-time job just got a lot 'fuller' yesterday as school is now out for the summer...oh the joys of being a stay-at-home mom! Before the official last bell rang, Fran and I went downtown for one more run along town lake (future runner in the making.)

Both boys received perfect attendance for the year and are now ready to play! The next 3 months seem booked already with Camp Grandma, a trip out west, Austin adventures, play dates, reading clubs, visitors to our house, and swimming holes.