Eclectic Trip to Austin

We ventured into the big city today, and it was quite an eclectic trip. We began with a stop at Pottery Barn, so Jeff and I could take a closer look at a bed frame I saw and liked online. Then, we stopped by Tuesday Morning. From there, we located one of the few remaining Souper Salad restaurants in the area and stopped for some lunch. After that, we visited the Saxet gun show, an eclectic experience all it's own. From there, we made our afternoon Sonic stop, and I stepped out an ordered something other than my usual. My kids are dying to try the new peanut butter and bacon shake there, but we decided today wasn't going to be that day. Our next stop was Half-Price Books, where we acquired all the Star Wars movies, some required reading books for Ruth's CC Challenge class next year, and some fun reading for all. Then, there was a fabric store/thrift store/hardware store stop. And, we ended the day at the Hill Country Galleria, where we stopped for dinner at Iron Cactus. We also had an unplanned visit to Dick's Sporting Goods while we were at the Galleria to get Max a whole new set of wearable clothes after he slipped in a mud puddle and was covered head-to-toe in some very stinky mud.

I know you are all now feeling like I just made you look at a hundred pictures of my newborn, but, what can I say?! We don't get out much, so this qualifies as high entertainment. Plus, I thought a blog post about our fun day in Austin was better than no blog post at all. Having now been subjected to it, you may choose to disagree.

On a Tuesday

• The alarm went off at 5:30 this morning.
• Jeff went to a Rotary Club meeting at 7:00.
• The kids and I arrived at our CC campus at 8:20, for the first day back.
• Jeff met us there at 8:30, so he could help me unload the van and stick around for the first family presentation of the semester, featuring the Watts family.
• Our opening assembly began at 9:00.
• At 9:30, I took my first full breathe of the day (or possibly the entire summer), as I sent all the CC kids to their classrooms and our semester officially began. 
• From 1:00-3:00, I stood up in front of a class of 4th-6th graders and introduced Grammar, Math and Writing concepts. 
• At 3:45, the kids and I pulled out of the parking lot and picked up snacks and drinks at Sonic. 
• We then had 15 minutes to run to the library for this week's books.
• Ruth had to be at piano lessons at 4:30.
• During the lesson, I went to 2 different banks.
• I picked Ruth up at 5:00.
• We met Jeff at a local restaurant for dinner at 5:15.
• Jeff had a Toastmasters meeting at 6:00.
• And Weston had football practice at 6:30. 
• We finally got home around 8:30.
• And got the kids in bed at 10 'til 9:00. 
• Now, I think it's my turn to hit the hay!

Time to pay the piper

On Monday, the kids went to VBS, had fast food for lunch, played at the pool, went to Martial Arts class, had dessert, watched TV and read in their beds until past the usual bed time. On Tuesday, they went to VBS, had a picnic lunch, played at the pool, ate homemade soft tacos (a house favorite) for dinner, had dessert and watched TV. On Wednesday, they went to VBS, got new Fourth of July t-shirts, had lunch at the bowling alley, bowled with all their neighborhood friends, watched an in-van movie, (one of them) got a haircut, had slushes at Sonic, went to Martial Arts class, and had dessert. Today, they cried and screamed and melted down in a variety of dramatic ways. (After going to VBS, having lunch out with Dad and running a quick errand). So, in the end, it wasn't the heat that made us miserable, it was the fun. Today, we paid the piper. Tomorrow will be better, and we'll be back to our regularly scheduled summer fun.

Sonic Drinks

Thank you Sherry and Sweet Blessings for rocking my world with this! It is absolutely perfect and will have a special place in my new home. I love it so much!