This and That. . .

So July? It's flown by. Busy. Fun. And almost over!

We hit the ground running when we got back from the beach. Obviously. . . haven't even had time to blog!

There was an evening out with the girls and my first time eating at Red Robin. Yummm!

(there ARE pictures out there, but I didn't take any of them)

A couple of nights with cousins coming over to eat and play around July 4th.

Fun times babysitting this friend's youngest. We loved having a baby around, again!

The Coach and the boys built huge shelves in the attic - we cleaned everything out up there and took a van load to Salvation Army. Woohoo!

(I should take a picture - you'd be so impressed! Ha!)

Moving Little Man into the "big boys" room and putting the crib up. Can't believe it. First time it has been empty in 14 1/2 years. (sniff)

Little Man is totally potty trained, now, too. I can't believe he actually got it! Naptime, nighttime and the whole nine yards!

Driving kids to basketball games, to babysit. . . mow. . . workout. . . teach Bible Clubs. Yes I AM the taxi driver.

Lunch out with sweet teachers from our school (this friend is a homeschooling mom at the moment, but I know that her kids will be back!).

Shopping for new wedding bands for the Coach (nothing decided as of yet - had no idea what an expensive vacation memory that would be!). Did you KNOW you could buy jewelry online?

Lots of time for the Coach and the boys working on the deck.

Redecorating Daughter's (#2) room (still lots to do).

Trip to Fort Worth for just the Coach and I! Can you believe it? Lovely times. Which included (among other things). . .

A day of Shopping with my BFF (the Coach had a conference to attend).

TWO nights out to dinner with the Coach (he liked Red Robin, too!).

A pedicure.

Some more shopping.

Jogging at the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary Campus.

Even a movie!

And I got Starbucks TWICE. Heaven, I tell you!

(Did I mention the hotel had cable? And muffins in the morning?)

All thanks to our sweet sitters - the kids had SO much fun without us.

Then celebrating the Coach's 40th. Wow! He looks great for being so OLD, don't you think? (You know I'm teasing. And I'm younger.)

Trip back to Dallas to see this guy.

So much fun!

Go bug Crazy Daisy until she does a post about how great it was! Ha!

Time at the farm with 1st and 2nd cousins from Missouri and California. Kids played in the pond and the mud so long that their toenails turned orange. Yuck.

Riding bikes. . . playing legos. . . trips to the pool.

Dinner and swimming with good friends from church.

Great evening with one of our sweet California cousins.

(There is a picture out there somewhere - I'll track it down.)

And HELLO THERE wonderful, beautiful, lovely new mac laptop. Woohoo! Feeling oh so spoiled about now. (smile)

This week?

. . . time up at school, sorting clothes, making lists and the beginning of the daunting task of school shopping for SEVEN.

A great month.

So all is well here at the Troops as Summer winds down. Going to take kids to the dentist, spend some quiet days at the farm, send the younger boys to football camp, start highschool football and junior high volleyball practice (means more taxi driving for me), send the Coach and all of the boys to varsity football camp . . . then school will be starting before we know it.

I'm sad in a way. . . but excited to see what the year will hold. Lot's to pray about, talk about, work through and learn. In other words - life as usual!

Now that I've caught up a bit here at Mrs. Troop, I'm going to try to get some SLEEP.

Happy Wednesday!

Vacation 2010 - Part 2

So after not enough glorious days on the beach. . .

The storm arrived.

I suppose we were blessed to not be hit BY hurricane Alex.

But the storms were fierce.

Making lemonade from our Hurricane lemons:

We were off to see Toy Story 3:

Visit the local Urgent Care:

(no stitches needed, thankfully)

Eat fresh seafood:
(glad to know NOW that Daughter #6 can't have shellfish)

Shop for T-shirts
(Little Man and Granddad waiting for the girls to make up their minds.)

Talk passers-by into taking our picture:

Check out the local Aquarium:

(shark cages)

Even the "big" kids enjoyed the fish:

And we didn't let the 40 mile per hour winds and pelting rain keep US out of the surf!

The waters begin to rise AROUND the house - so much for "beach front"
- the beach dissappeard!

Grandmother and I thought it was crazy to be out in the wind and rain!

Crazy crazy storm:

But there had to be a picture of the troops, in spite of it all:

We eventually headed home.

A day early.

(leaving the Coach's wedding ring behind in the ocean)

And let me just say. . .

Have you ever traveled with 12 people and a week's worth of beach gear in one van?

Well. . .

Then you've never lived! Ha!

I heard someone say once (Gary Smalley, mabye?) that when things go "wrong" on family vacations it makes the BEST memories. Two months later.

And you know what?

Hasn't even been that long and I'd have to say we had a GREAT time!

Vacation 2010 - Before the storm

Our traditional "on the road" picnic lunch. Somewhere South of Dallas.

Kids first time at the beach!

Beautiful Sunsets. Our favorite time to walk!

LOVED playing in the sand and water.

The Coach and I spent HOURS in the surf with the big kids. FUN!

Grandmother helping get the boat out far enough.

Little Man LOVED the beach! (we loved that he loved it, too. except for the afternoon he wandered 14 houses down before we caught up with him!)

They loved finding crabs in the seaweed.

The nice calm waves.

Our beach house for the week.

I'll post the second half of the week (can you say Hurricane Alex?) next. . .