Friday, August 8, 2008

Country Cousins - Deep in the Heart of Texas

Ok, here are some more pictures and thoughts from our Guadalupe River family reunion trip. All the female adults were reading the Twilight series.
Yep. That's one awesome series.
I just finally read the fourth (and final) book today, and it rocked.
It totally went in a different direction that I thought,
but I loved it and was happy with the way the author ended things.
No spoilers, I promise!
Sorry, back to the photos. We saw goats climbing this cliff at night.
There were skunks around and rumors of a bobcat.
I tried not to look for water snakes.
Or to even think about them.

I learned how to swim in this river.
It's colder than pool water.
and it has fish.
And plants that grow underwater and sometimes your leg brushes against them...
and you might hear little screams now and then.
Not me though, because I'm tough like that.
Totally.
Anyway, we're going to run through all the cousins one more time.
Just for fun, and because I love seeing their smiling faces.

Here's my Donny.

I've made my boys wear rash guards (those water shirts) all summer.

And lots of sunscreen.

I don't know why those shirts are called rash guards.

Something else to add to my Google list.


And my Remy.

Who could exsist on apple juice and chicken tenders soley, if I let him.


The Tiny here,
(with his arms in the air like he just don't care),
lives in California.
Remy followed him around all week.
He was so excited to hang with The Tiny.

This is The Tiny's sister, Schmoopie.

She also lives in California.

Now on to the Houston clan. This is Miss Thang.

You've met her before. She just got her first cell phone, so she can talk to her BOYFRIEND.

Yikes, the kids are growing up to fast!

However, no one told her that we don't get cell phone service out here. Too many hills.

Apparently you could get service if you want to the swingset on the other side of the parking lot and climbed to the top of it.

There was a line of adults waiting to climb the swingset, I kid you not.

There are no phones in the rooms. It's kind of cool to be cut off from the world. Kind of.

Miss Thang's sister, The Monkey.


And their younger sister, Sweet Cheeks.

She turned five while we were there, so we celebrated her birthday.

We all went to a musical at an open-air theater. Wanna know what production we saw?

High School Musical!

It was a lot of fun.

Another branch of the Houston clan is Wonderboy

and his sister Bunny.

We were missing two other cousins, the Maryland clan.

And The Bug and Rockboy, who leave for two weeks in Peru tomorrow.


We all stayed in these rented condos and grilled our meals outside in this common area.

I kept meaning to get a group picture, but it's hard to get that many kids in one place at one time. Someone's always hungry, or napping or throwing a tantrum or swimming

or fishing or in the game room. It's hard to keep up!

We love this place.

I still need to share pictures from the rodeo and from our canoe trip.

I didn't take my camera on either of those expeditions, so I have to wait for family to supply those photos.

We're off to Austin this weekend for a family wedding.

Don't worry, I'll have my camera and I'm not afraid to use it.


19 comments:

Karen said...

I love the Twilight Series!! I love her other book "The Host" as well.

Your family reunion really looks like it was lovely. All those kids are so darn cute. I love their nick names, too.

Angie's Spot said...

More great pics! And I love the nicknames too. You must expand on "The Tiny". That's too funny.

Jen said...

I have said it before, and I will say it again, that looks like an awesome place. Great photos. I love all the kids having a great time.

Mama Dawg said...

Ok, it's official. Do you have any single men in your family I can marry so I can come along on your family trips? That's so cool! I'd love a vacation like that.

sassy stephanie said...

Ah yes, numbingly cold. I always shriek when I first hit the tube, then wait for my butt to un-numb (is that a word??). I think I may have to schedule a family trip for the end of summer. Looks like you guys have so much fun together.

Krystyn @ Really, Are You Serious? said...

Way to rub it in!

Visit Chuy's for me and eat something delicious!

Live.Love.Eat said...

That looks like an awesome place and an awesome time. I'm jealous - I wish we had a big family with lots of kids. But I should just be thankful that we have family and we get together!!!!! Ok, I talked myself into it!

Unknown said...

Rash guards actually started out as a lighter weight wetsuit for surfers and water skiers, but since they mostly have UPF, or ultraviolet protection factor, tehy are now used by all water entralled people. People here on the beach wear them all the time and they even have really cute girl and momma ones. I love your whole experience here. It looks like so much fun and I would have loved to see the adults climbing the swing set...can you hear me now?

Keys to the Magic Travel said...

You should have taken a picture of someone sitting on top of the swing set talking. That would be hilarious. So how did you get online while you were there?

We've never had a family reunion. Unless you count funerals. And then we always say, that funerals should not be our family reunions. But nothing ever gets planned.

CrystalChick said...

More great pics!
No cell phone reception should be a good thing. How did our parents manage without them??

Okay, so part of this post clears up something. Regarding the Twilight series. I had never heard of that. Okay, I live in a cave and rarely see the light of day. LOL
I read all the time, just guess I thought Anne Rice's vampires were more my thing.
But the night the last book of this series came out, we tried to get into our Barnes and Noble just for drinks, not realizing they were having a book thing and it wasn't happening. Long long lines, even in the cafe. So I asked about it a couple days later and they told me in the cafe that the books are for 'goth teens' sorta like Harry Potter, but with vampires.
But I guess like Harry, adults love this series too! Right??
I'm almost finished a book so maybe after that is done I'll check out Twilight as I do love Vamp stuff.

Mom2FiveBratz said...

We dont get cell service in some parts of our house, and its killing my teens.
It looks alot like New Braunfels. Have you been there?
I LOVE Austin, and San Antonio. Im so jealous!

trublmaka said...

Thanks for sharing your family reunion with us!
Its pretty awesome.
The last time we had any version of a family reunion... well, I don't even remember..
With the exception of going to visit my grandmother when she had her heart surgery!!
Can't wait to see more pics!

Cristin said...

I'm starting to feel left out...I have to get the Twilight books when school starts....

Great photos as always... it looks like a blast!!!

Anonymous said...

WOW I wanna go there next time you guys go, you can say I'm a long lost cousin can't you? LOL

Insane Mama said...

They are called rash guards, because they were meant to be used in theocean when you boogie board. The sand in the salt water combined with the boogie board creates a stomach rash. So WAALAA! Rash guards were invented.
My kids live in them.

Have fun in Austin, Austin is Awesome.

Jennifer said...

what a great looking bunch of kids!! and it looks like they were having a blast!! :)

i just started reading the twilight book... I guess i'm very far behind. lol but so far it is good... i have only had time to get to page 39 though... so not too far into it... on my blog roll is "J" she finished the last in the series and was dying to talk to someone about it. lol

maybe you want to comment to her and you two can discuss it. :)

xoxoxox

Kelly said...

Again, what a cool place to vacation...looks like so much fun and kid friendly!
BTW, how old is Miss Thang? She looks like she's 10 or 11...she has a cell phone and a boyfriend?! I need to go and tie my 9-almost-10 year old daughter to her bed...they grow up TOO fast!

Valarie Lea said...

That looks like so much fun!!

Kim said...

I am a friend of Kat and found your site. Thought I would answer the rash guard question. It was originally desigend to wear while surfing to prevent rash from the board. My sister in law came back from Australia calling thme rashies and that is what we call them. My husband and I even tried to start a business selling them before they were everywhere but with homeschooling, his full time job and a very lame surfer dude supplier - we have many at the end of the hall we sell off to friends. Anyhow, hope that helps.