Thoughts on beach vacations

1. There must be a HUGE industry cranking out beach-themed decor. Almost every rental condo/house/hotel in any beach community is stuffed full of the stuff.

2. When you do run across a place to stay that doesn't have an abundance of beachy crap, it is very disconcerting (black leather couches, black lacquer furniture, mirrored glass just don't seem to fit the mindset).

3. Is there REALLY that much of a saving to be had by making the showers so short? Would it add that much to have about 8 more inches of molded shower wall so the shower head could be moved up and not hit me in the nose? I know I'm a tall woman, but there are still many people in this country who are as tall or taller than me.

Already miss the beach (and my siblings and families) terribly. But it is good to be home.

Thanks Mom & Dad for the wonderful week.

Family Vacation

Off to Port Aransas tomorrow morning for the annual Cousin Camp (my parents, my whole family, both my siblings' families). A week at a beach with somebody else occupying my kids for much of it. What more could I ask for?

Happy Father's Day, Jim!

I couldn't ask for a better one for my kids.

Forgot to take the camera to the dance recital

So we had to get a shot outside on the porch swing. Grace was ready to give up dance classes by the time the recital rolled around, but once she saw the big girls dancing (at the very LONG recital - sorry Gramma, Grandad, Grandma Lu and Grandma!), she started to think she might want to continue them.

Her class danced to a song from Beauty and the Beast, and they all got to pick out their own princess costume. Hopefully this will still fit by Halloween and Grace can go as Queen Susan or Queen Lucy from Narnia.

End of school

I've found it's a little hard for me to get the pics off the camera and into the blog when I've got my little ones around so much.

We had a great end-of-year party. Ms. Watkins has a tradition of having an off-campus party from 930a-130p on the last day of school. The class walked over to Grace's friend Audrey's house. We moms fretted a bit about how we were going to keep 19 kids busy in the back yard for four hours, but two blow up pools, an outdoor play set, a couple coolers of water balloons and hot dogs and watermelon are apparently all you need (plus 19 kids happy to not be sitting in their classroom on the last day of school).


This was after the initial rush to the water balloons. It's amazing how quickly they disappear - maybe 5 minutes? Almost not worth the work to fill them, except for the joy they brought.


I just liked this picture because you can see that soaker ball that Jared just tossed it totally about to hit its mark on Ryan's back.


The addition of the Little Tykes slide was genius for one of the pools.


Acrobatics on the swings.


Lunch on the lawn.


Three great friends. We are so sad that Audrey (on the right) is moving to Houston at the end of the summer.


Once the day wore on the area next to the pool with the slide became a big mud puddle. Ms. Watkins ended up having to hose half the class off before we could walk back to the school.


The Four Musketeers with Ms. Watkins.


And now to copy my sister. First day of school and last day of school pictures.


Kindergarten went by so fast!