In New Braunfels

We arrived at Didi's house in New Braunfels yesterday just before 4 p.m. The kids were swimming by 5 p.m., and again this morning by 10:30 a.m.

 

There's no better way to exhaust children than with a swimming pool.

 

***Because I know everyone lost sleep over it, it seems that I can see the picture of the future diamond appraiser (Ford) that I included in May 30th's post just fine when I am logged into my Blogger account. However, that's the only way the picture shows up.***

 

(If you can't tell, technology sometimes eludes me.)

 

Hold on...I might have figured it out...

Hallelujah! I can't explain why I couldn't get it to work yesterday, but am so, SO glad it's working now. You all would be very bored by my posts if they were simply text of my ramblings.

Happy Sunday!

Diamond Appraiser

***Tell me: do you see the picture I posted? Not being at my home computer, I have WRASTLED with successfully adding a picture to this post. If you can't see it, let's hope I can figure it out in the next couple of days.***

Yesterday I said diamond inspector but meant diamond appraiser (one and the same?). He’ll have to add this to his (long) wish list of future jobs. [This is the text that goes along with the picture you may or may not be able to see.]

 

Happy Saturday!

In Texas!

We're out of town! We're on a trip! We're in Texas! (How many more exclamatory sentences can I come up with?!)

The kids and I loaded the minivan (in the pouring rain) Wednesday morning and drove west. Papa John met us just east of Lake Charles, LA, and we caravanned to his house in Lufkin. (I'd never driven that route before; while I'm sure Google maps wouldn't have led me astray, I'm glad someone who knew which tiny highway to turn onto next was leading the way!).

 

One of my favorite things about driving over the Texas state line is that no matter the previous state's posted speed limit, Texas is going to increase it by 10 mph. No ifs, ands, or buts.

 

We are RELISHING the change of scenery at Papa John's house (and I thoroughly enjoy having another adult around to converse with). Right now Papa John has the kids "penny roll hunting," which means that Sydney, Lorelei, and Ford are set up at the kitchen table sorting through rolls of pennies and organizing them by decade into Dixie cups. Lorelei and Ford have already found a wheat penny each (I didn't know what that was before today!). They are quiet and focused and enjoying the hunt...it's fantastic. Ford is wearing a binocular visor contraption that makes him look like a diamond inspector.

 

We're headed to Didi's house in New Braunfels soon, and are looking forward to a dip in the pool.

 

(Ford just asked me he could have his very own diamond inspector visor when we get back to Mississippi.)

Friends

This evening I was standing on the porch with Lorelei and her neighborhood friend, and asked them to hold this pose while I ran to get my phone for a picture.

We are headed out of town tomorrow, and these two are going to miss each other.

Memorial Day

One of my Naval Academy classmates posted this on our class Facebook page:

These are just four of the seven classmates who've lost their lives while serving our country. The other three are 1) Jay Dixon, 2) Matthew McFarland, and 3) Nicholas Bourgeois (a dear friend).

Here is my 2017 Memorial Day post.

Here is my 2014 Memorial Day post.

Here is my 2012 (which is actually 2011) Memorial Day post.

Have a safe, FREE Memorial Day weekend.

Baby Shower

This was already a week ago (HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE), but last Sunday afternoon we had a socially-distanced baby shower for two ladies in our battalion due this summer.

The kids in attendance ran around like crazies and did not practice social distancing, but it was so nice to get out and do something semi-normal.

Happy Sunday!

Puppy Ruth

Ruthie's favorite game is pretending she is a dog:

Sydney, Ford, and I were at Target recently, and they convinced me to buy these $3 dog bowls in the summer (seasonal) section of the store.

I'm not really a dog person...and I'm still not. The constant begging for food and water (and consequently water getting all over the floor and tracked through the house), the loud barking (she has a VERY realistic bark), and nearly tripping me because she's underfoot on all fours...it drives me a bit insane.

We WILL keep Ruthie though.

What day is it? Happy Wednesday!

Plant Saturday

I know it's Sunday night, but I took these pictures yesterday (Saturday) evening, after Ruthie helped me water some of our  houseplants:

Ruthie is a VERY good plant-care helper. She "pets" them, waters them exactly the way I ask, and even talks to them in an encouraging voice.

She really does love all things that need care: babies, animals, plants. Perhaps she'll be a nurse when she grows up.

Mid-May

Half of May is gone. Amazing.

I meant to post on Mother's Day, but I was busy lounging around and didn't snap a single picture of anything until RIGHT before putting the kids to bed (and too late at that):

Sydney was skeptical of my selfie-taking abilities, Ford's sporting his stubborn smile (I may or may not have had to issue a threat for him to pose with us), and Lorelei and Ruthie need a good hair brushing.

Military Spouse Appreciation Day

Today is Military Spouse Appreciation Day, and so many of my fellow military spouse friends posted lovely things on Facebook about the beauty and hardships that go along with military life. Even Chet, during our FaceTime call today, sweetly and and profusely thanked me for the load I carry as a military wife, especially during this deployment.

All that said, only one person's post made me laugh out loud today:

Happy Friday, friends. (I woke up this morning thinking it was Saturday. But what does Saturday even mean anymore?)