Beavers Bend 2021

Before the pandemic you didn't get a fall break, but I'm so glad you do now!

It's a vacation week without any holidays in it; nothing we have to do. Just relaxation.

And this year, we decided to take our relaxation on the road to Oklahoma and visit a place we hadn't been to in many years: Beavers Bend State Park!

We rented a cabin, played Monopoly during the rain, had camp fires, s'mores, hot dogs, told silly disgusting jokes, kayaked down the river, skipped stones, went into town for mini-golf and wax hands and 'mining,' rode horses, rode the train (twice...and julia you won the cotton candy raffle the second time!), hiked...and hiked more...and got lost...and hiked more to get unlost, and went on nightly walks with our headlamps. 

We saw deer at night, deer during the day; creepy glowy eyes at night (deer and one opossum); a lot of cool frogs and one bigfoot (just kidding).

You two set up a trading post and system to trade precious gems. 

It was a time of togetherness -and waters rose and fell- and I am so thankful we were able to do it as a family.

I can't wait to be in the woods with the four of us again...no cell signal...smell of campfire...and sore legs with fully bellies and hearts. 

Agents In Black

 Some weekends, when Julia has an idea, we all get on board and make it happen.

This one started when Julia said "Let's make a movie. I'll wear a mustache."

And then aliens, agents, adventure, space cars, and worlds to save were born. 

The purple curtain theater presents..... Agents in Black.

Galveston AGAIN in 2021? Yes Please!

 

Longlocks and the Three Sharks

Some Sundays you just feel like making a movie.

So, we busted out the green screen, stormed our brains, got creative, got out the characters, wrote the script, and made one of our most epic productions yet!

And by "we" I mean, "you." I love taking y'all's direction and helping you guys bring your creations to life. I follow your lead (and okay, sometimes hog the spotlight a little bit...) and I love watching how bright you shine.

And now, I proudly present, a Purple Curtain Theater Production: Longlocks and the 3 Sharks!

Covid Quarantine Life - July- August 2020

 

Well, it may be covid, and we may still be quarantining, but that doesn't mean we can't still have a good time! It's still summer, after all!

And so we swam, and had sparklers on the 4th of July. We had our first 'dive in cinema', and a few safe-as-we could vistis with friends and family. Mama died your hair,  and we sang and danced and karaoked and drummed and climbed a lot. And we loved each other- in spite of being stuck together-, at a time when the world- and we- really needed love.

And I took pictures of gross bugs.

There were mud fights in the back yard,  and a movie theater (and hotel (and a movie-voting station)) in our living room.  There were legos and ice creams and books and drawings and the world's tallest marble tower.

We painted the shed together, and went on lots of walks, we rode bikes together, and I got my butt kicked at Star Wars Monopoly (several times); and you even beat Yaya once too. We loved on Toby, and while Julia's room was getting converted, you guys slept on a double-decker mattress in Aidan's old room.

We developped a world-famous fried egg, home pickle sandwich and adopted an inflatable alligator named allison. We jammed and jumped and goofed around.

Tea parties? Oh yeah. We had those.

We even had a 'vacation' to stay at Mimi and Pops' house while they were working in our house and the smell of wood stain and varnish got too strong  for us to stay here. 

We gardened and knitted and pickled and basked.

And don't foget.... our HOUSE GOT FINISHED!!!!!!!!!!! Your rooms upstairs grew from nuthin' to something! And finally in August, we got our final approvals and you got to move in!

And before we knew it, our sweet summer was over, and y'all were back to school (with masks on). 

The house was quiet...too quiet... but the laughter, and noise, and music, and pitter patter, and splishing and splashing echoed through the house's memory...and would return again, very soon.