Thursday, August 7, 2008

Fishing, Fluming & Fighting; Deep in the Heart of Texas

I grew up in the Hill Country on a ranch. My family has roots and a place in our hearts forever for this area. When we meet, once a year, it isn't in luxurious accomodations or elegant decor. Nope, it's bare bones, simple condos, where we have to cook our own food and make our own beds. We pretty much live in our bathing suits and pack in as much fun as possible.



The players are my dad, my mom, my stepfather,
and four of my dad's six kids...
and nine of the eleven grandchildren.



We focus on the three F's. Fishing, Fluming and Fighting.
You'll see.
Here are some of the kids fishing.

From left to right,

it's Schmoopie, The Monkey, Remy & The Tiny.

Guys, wave and say hi!


Aren't they cute, y'all?

Here's my Donny, fishing with an "old fashioned pole."

Remy doesn't look happy with me taking his picture...
oh, wait, this isn't fishing or fluming or fighting,
how'd it get in here? oops.
Ok, on to the fluming. A flume is a water slide.
This one is built with concrete into the damn that blocks the river.
A strong force of water flows down the slide and deposits the kids down below.
They love this and do it over and over and over again,
wearing holes in their bathing suits. I'm not kidding.

Here's The Monkey and Schmoopie going down on a raft.

They also have jean shorts on so

that they won't wear out their bathing suits when they don't use the raft.

See, here they are without the raft. I told ya so.

Aren't they adorable?

One lives in Houston, the other in California.

But, when they get together, you'd think they were long lost sisters.


Here come some more cousins. They try to pile as many on a raft as they can. The most I've seen at once is four, maybe five. Here is Miss Thang, Remy & The Tiny.

Oh, I forgot to tell you, at the bottom of the flume, the kids have to save themselves from the strong current and then walk over slippery algae covered rocks to get to the shore. It's tough, but they love it. They scream and are dramatic about it, but they have a blast.


This inner tube is tied to a rope, that is tied to the railing where they come out of the water.

Coming down the flume, they search for this rope and inner tube, and grab it for all its worth.

They live in fear of being caught in the current and sent downstream...

where someone might have told them there are snakes. hehe Not me. Nope.


Here is (from left to right) The Tiny, Donny, Remy and Miss Thang. They're arguing over what order to go down the Flume and who's going to go on what raft or not.
I have a confession. My oldest, Donny, is a trouble maker. He likes to jump into the flume and surprise others who are going down it. He causes problems. The girls get upset easily. I can't tell you how many times I heard, "Aunt Rhea, Donny's causing problems."
Oh, wait, here some The Tiny.
It's really fun when the kids start posing for me and acting funny.

That's not our float. But, Remy demonstrates a good point here.

Everyone shares floats and inner tubes and noodles here.

We're friendly that way, y'all.


Here's The Monkey, Schmoopie and Miss Thang hangin' out on rafts...on land...

wait, that's not fishing, fluming or fighting...

how'd that get in there? Ooops. onward...


Here comes the fighting.

It's fun fighting. OUt in the middle of the deep part of the river is a buoy.

The kids get on it and play "king of the hill." You know, last one standing wins.

Here's Wonderboy, Bunny, Schmoopie and Sweet Cheeks showing just how it's done.



Sweet Cheeks does NOT want to go in the water that way.

Wonderboy has plans to put her in though, I can see it.


Uh, oh, Wonderboy won't know what hit him. The girls ganged up on him. His sister Bunny and his cousin Schmoopie are sending him to Davy Jones Locker...oh, wait, that's an ocean term, isn't it? Ooops.
See what I mean, the girls gang up on the boys. And the boys get them back later. You can tell when you hear a lot of screaming. I think I might have lost some hearing from their screaming.


Look at those stinkers. I think they're trying to talk down Sweet Cheeks. She looks mad. She was the youngest cousin on this trip, she's the youngest of them all. She and Bunny. They were inseperable the whole trip and you had to watch out for them. They were up to something, always. Adorable little stinkers.
Well, this post is long enough, so I'll stop...for now. I haven't shown you the other things we did yet. Don't worry, I'll post about them soon. I know you wait with baited breath. hehe




30 comments:

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

Rhea...that looks like a blast! Makes me miss Texas. Just a bit.

Indy said...

Just beautiful!

Jen said...

That looks awesome. I want to go next time.

Anonymous said...

Looks like SO much fun!! Where was this at?

Insane Mama said...

makes me miss Texas for sure. I love the Flume. As for last man standing.. It's an on-going game around here. Fun, but drives me cuckoo with the screaming.

sassy stephanie said...

*sniff

I'm crying a river (haha, get it) that I missed my yearly river trip this summer. So much fun, even as an adult.

Skeller said...

Oh Rhea! What a wonderful, fantastic, amazing place to vacation. Y'all look like you're having way too much fun. Makes me miss all my nieces and nephews ... sniff sniff.

Munchkins and Music said...

Looks like a blast! I need to visit Texas. Everyone I have met from Texas has been pretty cool!

Shannon said...

The water flume looks like fun!

Maternal Mirth said...

That looks like an awesome time! I wanna go!

Keys to the Magic Travel said...

That water flume looks soooo fun! Were there other families there too...or just you guys? And that is so funny about the girls complaining about Donny. I could see my girls doing that. I am surprised the boys did not complain about the decibel level that the girls could get to...

Kelly said...

Looks like SO much fun!!

Breanne said...

Great Pics. We love Hill Country but I have no idea where that is. Looks like a blast.

Unknown said...

I agree, this looks like so much fun. I would love it if we had something non-commercial like that...I think all my kids are deprived!!!

Amy said...

Looks so fun! My girls would love that flume, I would love that flume!

Anonymous said...

so scenic, I want to go there! NOW!

Amanda said...

Whoa, that's a different kinda Texas than I live in. Beautiful. Looks like such fun!

Unknown said...

This makes me long for my days as a little girl hanging out on Lake Travis and Inks Lake. Where is this?

Looks like a blast and great memories for the kiddos!

Anonymous said...

Oh my gosh, I love the Hill Country, but I haven't been there in about 20 years. Yeah, I know, it's not that far from here, but time and money, doncha know....

Still waiting on the Sassy Pink Cowboy Hat Girls Gone Wild....wait...whatever......

Anonymous said...

FUN!! I can't wait for vacation!! BEAUTIFUL pictures...Can you adopt us? It always looks like ya'll have tons of fun!!

I FINALLY posted!!

Angie's Spot said...

Great pics! That flume looks like a blast!

Karen said...

That looked like so much fun! I have never heard of fluming before this. Thanks for sharing the fun you all had.

Chatterness said...

where exactly is this place!! i wanna go!!! damn great pics!!

OHmommy said...

Wow, RHEA... awesome pictures. Really really awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Claremont First Ward said...

I wanna be a kid again and go play. What incredible photos!

CrystalChick said...

Great pictures. Sure looks like everyone was having a good time!

Jennifer said...

wow!! that place looks like paradise!! :)

xoxoxo

miri68 said...

Ok, spill the beans about where exactly it is. It looks like an awesome place! Schlitterbahn is fun, but this looks like fun and on the brink of nowhere! Great pics.....

i beati said...

they ahve had a marvelous summer your boys haven't they ?? sandy

Valarie Lea said...

This is the coolest thing, I wish we did a big trip like this. Its so hard to get us all together.