Our Last Hours in Texas

Literally our last hours in Texas were spent in Build-a-Bear. After we did this, we had lunch and then were dropped off at the airport. This trip to Build-a-Bear was a total surprise to the kids. They were thrilled. Anneke picked a unicorn with golden hair and hooves.

Luke and Carley picked the longhorns. I personally liked theirs the best. Luke's ended up being dressed in 'Woody's' clothes from the Toy Story movies. Luke was extremely disappointed that there was not a costume in his size in the store.

Nathanael's coyote and a glimpse of Noah's 'camo' bear.

The kids dressing their animals. Carlye dressed her longhorn in a cowgirl outfit. The older boys did their's in Star Wars clothes. Anneke's is dressed in a frilly pink dress and pink high heels.

Parents and Grandpa observing.

Dressing the animals. They had a wonderful time. Our trip was incredible. My next postings will be a few pictures of our trip this weekend to the White Mountains in New Hampshire and the snaps I took of Girls Camp Friday evening. I look forward to staying put at home for a while!

An Evening at the Creek

The first night the Bahlmann's were in Kerrville, we had a cookout at the creek with the Pfiester's, Bahlmann's, Carpenter's and Clyde and me. The kids played in the creek. Luke wanted to play so badly that Andy got in with him. Everyone had a great time.

Anneke climbing on the rock to dive in. Marcus and Nathanael coming up from a jump of the rock.

Carlye helping Noah and Anneke up the slippery rocks.

Everyone getting ready to jump in.

Here they go!

Playing on the rocks.

Noah getting ready to jump.

The inseparable couple.

Nathanael jumping across the rocks. We had a great time. By the time the Carpenter's came the light was so low I couldn't take very good pictures. I will see what I can come up with tomorrow though.

Pictures of this and that from the trip

Heidi and Anneke unwrapping Anneke's doll.

Luke and Heidi just after they got to Texas.

Carlye sitting on the couch.

Carianne doing Carlye's hair.

Grandpa and Noah playing together.

Grandpa and Noah.

Carianne and Grandpa.

Nathanael's Birthday Party

On Thursday (June 22) we celebrated Nathanael and Clyde's birthday at the theater. There is a party room in the new Kerrville movie theater. There we had cupcakes and juice. Afterwards the children went up and got to see the projector room where Nathanael and Anneke started the movie, Despicable Me. It was a fun party. The theater roped off the back two rows so we would have our party together because they came in just before the movie started. Anneke and Nathanael actually came in after because they started the actual film. It was so much fun to see April and her family and spend more time with the Carpenter's. (Nathanael's birthday is really the end of June but he had been waiting to celebrate it when the family got together).

A glimpse of the party with Heidi in the background.

One of the views of the tables at the party.

Jodi and April at the party. Aren't they beautiful.

A silly picture of everyone that attended Nathanael's birthday party. I am not doing pictures in a very good order. Clyde and I had to switch out our 'cards' in our cameras so I have a bunch of pictures on the Kodak but have no idea how to download that camera. That camera actually has the pictures from the beginning of the week. So we will just do pictures in a random order. Enjoy them anyway.

Tuesday's Book Review

There are not many books this week because of our trip to Texas. We literally spent the week on the go and hugging daughters and grandchildren so I didn't have hours to read. So here are the 3 books I had time to read and two of them were children's books so they took no time to read. Here we go. What a fun book! "Nim's Island" is a quick read and a delightful one at that. I want to see the movie now. I doubt it can top the book. The book could be read to young children but a child 8 and up could read this one on their own and would love it. It has adventure, mystery and family love. It is a great book. At the very end I might question something but only as an adult. I discussed it with children and they automatically assumed the obvious. Can't give it away.

This was a free download on my Kindle and was a delightful read. It is for young readers 9 and up. It is about a girl whose mother is dead and father is blind. Everyone is trying to step in and control their lives because they are sure they know better than Lucy and her father. It is a sweet story and quick read. It is a FaithGirlz book and my granddaughter Carlye had read some of the others in this series and loves them.

Carianne gave me this series of books to read. I have only read "A Promise to Remember" because I did not have a lot of time. We had a great trip with the Pfiester's and Bahlmann's but the time was spent with them and not reading like I do at home. I read this book on the plane (what I hadn't already started in Kerrville). By the way, I would much rather cuddle a grandchild than read a book!

Anneke's Tea Party

On Wednesday, we took Anneke to Queen Bee's so she could have her birthday party and have a fancy tea party too. She wanted the dad's and brothers to come too so all of the family that was visiting attended. I have to say the dads were good sports but it really was not their 'cup of tea.' We did have a good time though and they treated Anneke like a princess.

Princess Anneke eating her Princess plate.

From left to right, Luke, Marcus and Nathanael. Luke tried on several hats, including this lovely cloche. It actually made the rounds from Uncle Carl to Aunt Heidi and then to Luke.

Andy wearing one of the only men's hats we could find.

Heidi wearing the cloche and Luke wearing a Panama hat with beads (to keep the bugs away).

The 'snooty' Pfiesters. This is the one and only time you will ever see Carianne and Carl being 'uppity'. You can tell we had a good time.

Carlye and Noah eating their Prince and Princess lunches.

A sweet picture of Carlye.

Outside in the Gazebo where Anneke opened her presents. Her birthday literally went from Wednesday until yesterday - when it was her actual birthday. We did the same thing for Bella on her 6th birthday. I guess this is what we do for 6th birthdays in the family. Carlye asked if this was a tradition. That made me laugh. In many ways Bella's and Anneke's birthdays were duplicates. I wish you could see Anneke's and Carlye's fingers and toes. She and Carlye had a manicure and pedicure just before the tea party and were beyond delighted with how beautiful they felt and looked. We will get those pictures posted soon. We had a most wonderful week. All of the grandchildren got along so well. They are truly best friends - which is wonderful. Hopefully it won't be long before we have all of our family together. That would be heaven.

The children just before they ran down the hill. The end of the party.

Tuesday Book Reviews

When our daughters were young, they were very caught up with Mary Downing Hahn's books. I found one of the girls books and decided to bring it to Carlye. On our trip down, I read it, so I am counting it. I had forgotten how delightful and fast moving her books were. I think I might pick some more up. The book that started all of the girls on the journey was "Wait 'til Helen Comes" . It was so controversial that I had to read it as the PTO president in order to even get it in the library. There were still some church groups that wanted it banned but it won the Texas Bluebonnet Award the year it was nominated.

Susan Wittig Albert is the author of my favorite China Bayles series. I was tickled to see her author a new series. I thoroughly enjoyed this new book set in the 1930's. She is an amazing writer. I highly recommend it.

This is book 4 of the Acadia Series. I will read them all.

Book 3 of the Acadia is just as wonderful as the other two. I recommend it.

My Husband's Birthday

Today is my husband's 59th birthday. We have been together for a very long time. I want to wish him a most Happy Birthday. He is an amazing man and I am glad I have signed on with him for the long haul.

Tuesday's Book Review

This book took me about 30 minutes to read. It is about a great-grandmother that had been put in a nursing home and how her great grandson realized a need. It was a beautiful book. I highly recommend it. It made me realize that sometimes as adults we rush to quickly to think we know what is best.

I am a big "Percy Jackson" fan. Rick Riordan has done it again with this new series. It is Egyptian mythology. I was not as familiar with the Egyptian gods but Rick Riordan explained them as he went along without slowing the story. It was a great read. This is a book geared for middle school and high school age readers but anyone will enjoy it. I highly recommend it.

"The Meeting Place" is the beginning of a trilogy of books of two women, Louise and Catherine. One is French Huguenot and the other is Colonial British in Acadia. The British are doing everything in their power to push the French out, even though the French were there first. It was a beautiful but heart wrenching story. I recommend it.

"My Theodosia" is about the daughter of Aaron Burr. It is an older book. My mother loved this book but again I am not sure why. Theodosia was married to man that loved her but she still had an affair with another man that everyone knew about. My mother read so much that sometimes I think she got her titles mixed up.

"Devilish" is a book by Maureen Johnson. This is written for grades 9-12 and was a fun book of devoted friendship and the angst of peer pressures. It is about demons and and good vs. evil. It takes place in Providence, RI. Clyde asked me if I have to read books about places I know. This was a pure coincidence but made it more fun to read because I knew right where they were talking about. Maureen Johnson also wrote "Suite Scarlett" that I enjoyed so much few months ago. She truly understands teenagers. I recommend this book. It was a fun, quick read.