Summer Vacay 2013

Back in June we had a week of vacation on the books. We had plans to go back to Port A with Luke, Mel and their gang and Kyle's mom Franny/Nana. She was having some health issues so we decided to call off the trip and stay home for a staycation. We didn't get out and do as much as we planned but what's new? 

What do you do when you can't go to the beach and its 150degrees outside? Go underground! So, to Longhorn Caverns we went...(giant cave about an hour from Austin).

As I was taking this picture I actually said out loud - LOOK at how happy Maggie is! We haven't put her in the ergo in forever, but she LOVES it! This is going to be a GREAT tour. We are just ROCKSTAR parents.

 I mean, would this squinty smiley face lie???

YES. 

The answer is yes, it would. It did.

Here is our sweet/cranky/old/hippie/geologist tour-guide - same guy the last time we came w/ just Owen (he doesn't remember). Pretty sure that's the same t-shirt too.

About 20 yard down the path and she's out of the carrier. But we're still rockstar parents because look  they're all holding hands and walking together like such well-behaved little people. This is still going to be great -thinks ME.

WRONG-O MOOSE-BREATH. (Mame the phrase origin for bonus points.)

This is what the next 45 mintues or so looked/felt like. A MAGGIE BLUR. Where is she? Catch her! I'll get them, you get her!

Big kids hanging in there.

MAGGIE GET BACK HERE!

Oooh, this is pretty. I'll stop and look at it for 1.2 seconds. And then run some more. - Maggie

That was the first half of the tour. The second half - perhaps even a longer 45 minutes - were Maggie refused to be put down. And wanting me.

Ahhhhh. We're out. We've picnic-ed. Let the adventure continue.

How about a little run by Kyle and I's FAVORITE PLACE in the WHOLE WORLD?!? Camp Buckner, how we miss you so. (And how about I forget to change the ISO on my camera so the pics look like we went from cave to nuclear winter?)

The next part of our adventure included lots of driving. And napping. We headed to "Big Sandy" to play in the river but the river was dry. (Isn't that a song?) so we turned around and went to "The Slab" at the Llano River. I was happy with the detour because the kids got more rest-time. (And I did too.) Time at the Slab was great. We polished off an entire watermelon. The water was actually cooler than bathtub-warm so it was great. But since there's water there are no photos. 

THEN...and this was a huge treat...we got to meet up with Grandpa Robert! He had been "in town" (meaning central TX) for a couple of weeks - see the fish fry post - and Marble Falls wasn't very far so he met us at the FAMOUS Bluebonnet Cafe for dinner (cue more Camp Buckner nostalgia).

Any place that has Pie Happy Hour is alright by me.

It was a great way to end a great day. That's about as much vacation as this family can handle!

Actually, we finished the week with another fun day-trip to a new friend's family's lake house near Wimberly - which I have to say - is probably my new most-favoritest spot in the world. Seriously a heavenly location. Will have to finagle another invite sometime. No photos - boo. But the kids and the adults had a blast - it was the great way to end our week.