One guess . . .

As to what we did this weekend! Camping, of course!! The Houston summer is almost here, so we are trying to get in a few last trips before it starts steaming any more that it already is. We went to the closest state park to us on this trip. Huntsville. We went there when Collin was a toddler and have always wanted to go back. It was just as pretty as we remembered. 

You know when you read those southern books like Eudora Welty about the nights "coming alive" with sounds? THIS was one of those nights. It was a serious "symphony of nature". Birds calling, insects buzzing, bullfrogs croaking, baby 'gators chirping, leaves rustling in the wind. . It was so pretty and . . . Southern, laying in a tent with all of that going on . . . and then the native redneck souped-up pick-up thundering in at 3am right next to us (of course!) and it's occupants "hackin' n' yackin'", "smokin' n' jokin'" and strumming on a "gitar" till the crack of dawn. 

We woke up and headed on a walk to get the lay of the land. . . 

And inspect the local insect species.

Then we got down to the "bidness" of fishin'. It was so funny to hear these people (the nicest people you'd ever meet, by the way!) talking in the accent and saying things that we joke about Texans saying! Notice the alligator warning on the dock . . . 

The little fisherwoman with her little pole and her little catch. She kept giggling like I have never heard before. 

Collin said about 50 times that what he was MOST looking forward to on this trip was the fishin'. He was up at the crack of dawn asking when we were going. The poor guy was watching everyone else pulling them in and he wasn't. This lady who "done caught 30 already", her husband told us, even took him to her "honey hole" as she called it and put a new leader?, bobber? something to help him and the fish stopped biting. Finally after 2 hours, he got one and it was a big 'un and well worth it. After that, he reeled in one after the other. 

We brought them home, about 16, we had a fish fry and each got about 3 bites each. And no, I didn't fish. I loved fishing until I grew up had to bait the hook and take it off the line and felt like a murderer. But just to prove that I used to:

Mother Bear vs. wimpy girl

                 

These last few weeks have been an emotional roller coaster for me. Without boring you to tears with ALL the details, although I have vented some (ok, a LOT) to most of the 3 readers of this blog, I'll share a couple of incidences. Yay for you!!! 

First, in case you remember from last year, the highlight of the summer was Scout Day Camp. We have been counting down the days since it ended last June for this years camp. About a month ago I asked when it was since I knew it was getting close. Our Pack Master (for those of you who don't know scout lingo - and it is seriously it's own language - he/she is the person over dens) said, "we're not going". I thought I had heard him wrong (remember, this is the Readers Digest version of this story) so I asked about it again and he said, "we're not going because we don't have the man power." I could feel the fur starting to stand up on my back and my teeth getting pointy. After talking about it some more with him, I was in full Mother Bear mode. MY BOY has been looking forward to this ALL year and you're telling me no???!!!!  I DON'T THINK SO!!! So, I did what any MB would do and went over his head to the Primary Pres. and said, What do I need to do to get my boy to Day Camp? Long story short, Day Camp is in a few weeks, and yes, we're going - all of us. 

This incident made me feel like I was finally getting some back bone after 35 years! I have never liked confrontation (and never will) and usually just give up the fight and concede defeat. But never again!! Victory!!! 

A few weeks later . . .  Our neighbor (another Readers Digest version of long story), whom we've only seen once and that was right after Ike, sent us a nasty note saying that she's going to turn us in to the city for having a rabbit within 100 feet of a residence and berated us for leaving a pile of "infested branches" on the curb. They were put out on Saturday, she gave us the note on Sunday and the garbage comes on Friday. . . so they were out there for less than a week. Now I feel eyes watching us every time I go outside. My fur and pointy teeth have gone away, my pony tails are coming out and I feel a tear coming on. Great. Here comes wimpy girl again. . . 

The moral of this story is . . . anyone want a cute, spotty, FREE rabbit??? Please?

El Guadalupe

We tried our luck camping again this weekend. We headed north and west to Guadalupe River State Park. Even though Jon had gotten off work early, we were still rushed and didn't take into account San Antonio rush hour traffic. We decided to forego the traditional Tin Foil Dinner for a fast food hamburger or else we'd be eating at 9 pm! We got to the park and after digging the tent out from ALL the other gear and boxes and coolers, the boys started setting it up when I realized I had left the chocolate for the s'mores on the cupboard at home, waiting to be put in the cooler to keep cold. Thank goodness there was a Valero's not far away, so Grace and I jumped in the car to go get chocolate. After a lot of wrong turns we got on the right road and captured this picture . . . 

We made it back and had our s'mores and hit the hay . . . except that it was about 80 degrees and no wind and Jon was snoring and . . . at about 3:23 am, I realized that I HAD packed the chocolate!! (Don't ask me why I didn't check before assuming, ok?!). When we finally got up (NOT woke up, except for Jon, who slept the whole night!), I was ready to get all packed up and head back home. The sacrifices we make for our kids. We headed out to the river after Collin and Grace did a lot of exploring in the Scrub Oak and Jon and I read by the fire. 

A pack of water guns supplied numerous amounts of fun . . . 

Jon spent about 52 min. blowing up the boat . . . 

And let the kids loose . . . 

As if we weren't having enough fun, the boys found a tree to jump out of . . . 

We are going back SO soon! Anyone want to join us? I PROMISE I'll remember the chocolate next time. Oh, wait, I did remember it so we had double the chocolate, which I'll bring. We are also looking to invest in some Pie Irons and try to turn out some goodness with them. 

Newest Webelos

Collin is just cruising through Scouts! He got his Webelos badge and numerous pins at his last Pack Meeting. This is the happy Webelo with his leader, Jacob Nunnery. 

Notice how long his hair is getting. This was a couple of weeks ago too! This Saturday is his first ever (LONG story) Pinewood Derby that he has been waiting for since the day he started scouts! More pictures to come . . . 

Gators and 'dillos and snakes . . . Oh My!!

You know when you pull in to the state park campground and see a sign like this, you are in the south and it's going to be an adventure!! We were setting up our tents when our friends little boy said, "Mama! Snake!" Sure enough, we look in the tree (a magnolia, of course!) and there is a snake shimmying up. Our friend Tom, then proceeds to tell us that there are a lot of snakes in the area. Information that should have been divulged BEFORE the trip! (I was telling a lady from our CoOp we saw some snakes and she said they were really bad this year. Yay!) After getting set up we went on a "hike" and saw an armadillo scamper across the trail. Although we never saw a gator, we heard a baby calling for it's mother. Yes, we impressed our friends with our knowledge of baby gator sounds. 

A lot of the trees had been blown down by Ike so there were stumps all over for the boys to climb on . . . 

The next day (Grace's birthday) we got up early and after eating a breakfast of champions, I mean campers, made by my honey, we set out to canoe on the lake. 

It was SO pretty but my camera had died (does anybody see a theme here?) so I only had my phone and didn't get many or even great pictures. I had to row plus, I was comforting and consoling Grace during 75-80% of the ride. Every time there was any movement no matter how small in the canoe she would cry. She also kept asking if everything was an alligator. When we got out though she said "That was SO fun!"

The highlight of camping for me is always the S'mores. I absolutely love them. The highlight for the kids was the hammock that I teased Jon about bringing because he has been known to bring so much stuff that never gets used. I was eating my words on this trip. At least one person was in it the entire time. This one is Grace talking to Emily and Garrett while eating.

Collin practically lived in it. He took his meals there, read there . . . .

Got harrassed there . . . 

We can't wait to go again before the Houston summer sets in.

Gracie Loo, Suzie Q, Scooby Doo We love YOU!!

Our little (wait, she told me she isn't little, so I said big Gracie and she said "I'm not big! I'm medium!"), I mean medium Grace turned 7 on Saturday. We went camping on Friday so before we left she helped me make her birthday Chocolate Divine. 

While we were camping she kept saying that it was her best birthday ever. It makes me happy that it doesn't take much to make kids happy sometimes!

Grace had decided that she wanted to take a friend with all of us and go out to dinner at Taste of Texas since she had heard so much about it from Collin. I loved that idea! She invited her friend Emma who met us at the restaurant. 

When dinner was over they let her pick out any dessert she wanted. She definitely is my daughter because she chose the white/dark chocolate mousse. They brought it out with a sparkler which she did NOT like and wouldn't go near it till the sparkler went out!

We had a great time and Grace said it was the BEST birthday she's ever had. I am so glad. 

Presidential Fitness Challenge

I remember when I attended Art City Elementary in Springville, I Dreaded, with a capital D, the Presidential Fitness Challenge every year. I must have blocked it out of my memory because really the only thing I remember is them trying to get me up to do the flexed arm hang. Trying being the key word here. It all just seemed so impossible that why even try? Why ask me to run a mile? It might as well have been 10 miles!  The only thing I ever got from that was the "participation" paper that was the consolation "you are so not up to par". Whew! I thought those days were over for good. 

Enter our Homeschool Co-Op. I was a PE assistant this "semester" and when they said it was time to start training for the PFC they asked how many adults were going to participate this year. I guess there is an adult challenge that you can do and get the Blue, Red, or White patch for. I didn't even really think about doing it because of my elementary years, but most of the other moms had done it before and wore their shirts proudly. I was intrigued. I looked at the requirements and thought that I could probably handle the sit-ups (54, but they're "modified" for us old fogies), the push-ups (women get to do them on their knees, so 27 isn't bad) and the mile walk in 13 min. I was starting to feel even excited. This might be do-able!! Until I saw that we have to do the sit-and-reach. 19 in. I have NO flexibility whatsoever, so this was daunting. When we first did it I don't even remember what I got (15 in.?) but was far enough away from 19 to think "it might as well be 30 in.!!" (I also might have said it too!) After much soul searching I decided that this would be a good challenge. If I can learn to Scuba dive with my fear of water, I can do this after all, so I started "training" and stretching.

Yesterday was the big day. We did our push-ups, our sit-ups and then, the sit-and-reach. I got 18.5. Half an inch away from Blue. Collin and I ran the mile together - the highlight of the day because he WANTED to run with me and told me while doing it that he loved running with me. Now that my legs were warmed up, I tried that darn sit-and-reach again and TA DA!! Got 19 cm. What a great day!

I should start my training for next year tomorrow!! Next year I am shooting for 20 in. OR even 21! 

Another Fav

(No, I didn't take this picture!)

I absolutely, dearly love chocolate mousse. You can do so much with it and add different flavorings and accompaniments to it. I have tried many recipes and this is the best, and so easy. 

3/4 c Semi sweet chocolate chips

2 Lg. eggs, separated

2 Tbsp. water

1/8 tsp. cream of tartar

1 c. whipping cream

2 Tbsp. powdered sugar (or reg. sugar)

1 tsp. vanilla

Melt chips in a double boiler (or glass bowl over bowling water). Stir yolks and water in small bowl and set aside. When chocolate is melted, stir in yolk mixture. Continue to cook for one min. Set aside. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff and stir into warm choc. mixture. Let cool. Beat cream, sugar and vanilla until stiff (this is important!). Fold into choc. mixture. Refrigerate for 2 hour or overnight. 

Our favorite way to eat this is to layer it with fresh berries OR Lingonberry preserves (the lingonberry jam is also really good with white chocolate mousse - just use white instead of semi sweet choc.).  We also like to use peppermint extract instead of vanilla (only use 1/2 tsp.) around Christmas. One of our favorite desserts is Chocolate Divine (Collin asks for it every birthday) that we first had at the Pizza Factory (anyone remember when they had that on their menu?). For that, double the mousse recipe, break up angel food cake into bite size pieces in a spring form pan, half the mousse, another layer of cake, the rest of the mousse and chill. Serve with caramel sauce and toasted sliced almonds.  

Sisters Trip '09

My sisters and I have never ALL lived in one place at the same time since we started getting married. Two years ago my youngest sister, Ems, had a business trip to NYC and we all decided to tag along. This was in January. NYC in January. Needless to say, it was COLD! We had such a great time and hoofed it all over the city for good food, cup cakes and sites (about the only way we stayed warm!). My oldest sister, Sarah was pregnant at the time but still kept up with us! We decided to make this a yearly tradition (we love traditions in our fam). 

The next "trip" was actually to visit my younger sister, Laura during her 77 (!) day hospital stay while pregnant with her first baby in Pasadena, CA. Although she couldn't leave her bed, we brought cup cakes and food to her and had a party in the room. 

This year we all needed some warmth and sun so we headed to Pheonix, AZ.  This time Ems had just had surgery on her foot and come down with a nasty virus but she kept up with us too! I guess that wasn't hard since we sat by the pool the whole time except for going across the street for food. 

I can't wait for next year!! I love you guys! 

(Although, after reading through this . . . it seems like next year sounds like my lucky year to have some health issue!)