My New Blog

I've started a new blog. You will find the link to it over there ->.
You can also click here-- "Kim's Concoctions," and I hope you'll check it out.

God's Big Sandbox

David's brother Peter, my sister-in-law Stephanie, and their crew Mary, Nick, Daniel and John, came down from Dallas last night, with plans to hit the beach today. There was something called Gustav brewing out in the gulf, but that didn't thwart us a bit. There was no way we were going to disappoint 8 kids. This was Gabriel's first experience with sand and salt water and I haven't been out there in 4 years (David had graciously let me stay home with nursing babies, etc.), so I really wanted to go too. I have to admit I really don't like sand, but Stephanie said to think of it as a nice exfoliant for the skin. In that case, by tomorrow, I expect my skin to be glowing and looking fantastic. Maybe I'll even look five years younger.

The kid woke up just after 6AM this morning (much to our dismay), but that got us out of the house before 9AM, destination--Galveston. Rebecca rode with Uncle Peter so she could visit with her cousin Mary, and Nick decided to ride along with us. The kids always want to be with their favorite cousin, and have a yummy snack from Aunt Stephanie's stash ;-).

We got to Stewart Beach and staked out our claim. Gabriel headed straight for the water and I actually had to hold him for a couple of minutes until we got settled, put on sunscreen, etc. Then I took him out to the waves, and he LOVED it. Every time a wave washed over him, he'd giggle. After a while, he figured out how far to go in (which was just a few feet in from the water line), and he'd just plop down and splash around in the water. Here's a couple of pics of our beach baby.
















The first thing "the boys" did was commence "Operation Tunnel." Apparently, they do this every time they go to the beach. They built up a huge pile of sand and then proceeded to dig not one, but two tunnels underneath it. All was going well about halfway through the project. Just as Peter and David connected under the second tunnel, they had a cave-in. There must have been an engineering design flaw somewhere in the plans. So the project was abandoned in favor of cooling off in the water. But here's how the construction site looked before the collapse.

Not bad for a couple of Eagle Scouts. Sorry boys, don't quit your day job ;-)

It was about this time the kids all told us it was lunchtime. Sure enough, the sun was right overhead, so we spread blankets out and ate. Gabriel kept trying to scavenge for more chips, and probably ate some sand along with the pieces he dropped. But oh well, I bet it was good for his digestion.

The kids all wanted to get buried in the sand, so of course, David gladly obliged. If you look at the top of the pic, you can see Mary, then along the bottom are Nick, Joshua, Christina, and Rebecca.

The girls thought it would be nice to make a little kiddie pool for Gabriel, but he didn't care for it; he much preferred to go play by himself. Still, it was a sweet effort--they even put up an umbrella for him.

By this time, everyone was starting to get tired, and a couple of kids were starting to sunburn (Mary and John are so fair, they burn even with high SPF sunscreen and multiple applications). So we packed up and headed to the showers. It would have been nice to take the ferry and go out to Crystal Beach, but it was just better to stay where we were, and have showers and bathrooms at our disposal. The day was perfect, nice breezes, water at an optimal temperature, and not too many people to compete with for space. All in all, a great day.

This last pic was taken of our kids-- Joshua, Rebecca, Christina and Gabriel. Yes, I stole this idea from Katie's blog, I take no credit at all. But this will probably be one of my favorite pictures ever. I hope to get it enlarged, and definitely in black and white. This is why I LOVE having four kids...

In a New York Minute

Yesterday afternoon, I got an unexpected phone call from Gabriel's godmother, Sister Mary Clare. She was in town with her parents! They were driving to Dallas this afternoon, but wanted to stop by for a bit to see us. She apologized for calling at the last minute, but I told her she could have given us 1 hour's notice, and it would have been fine (or in New York time, a "minute"). Sister Mary Clare is a nun with the Sisters of Life in New York City. We last saw her in February to witness 2 of her fellow sisters take their final vows. Hopefully we will be able to make the trip to see Sister Mary Clare take her final vows as well.
I was so excited, I called David on his cell right away. It was just providential; Chris had just been in town and I'd taken pictures of him with Gabriel. Now I could take new pictures of Gabriel with his godmother too. It had to be divine intervention. (I also admit to a moment of weakness and pride-- thank goodness the house was cleaned yesterday! Convents are neat and spotless, unlike our house constantly ransacked by four kids :-)

David made sure to come home from work to see Sister Mary Clare. They've been friends since college-- they lived in a coed Catholic house called St. Joseph's Vineyard, and therefore were also housemates.

Gabriel was a bit shy around Sister Mary Clare and her parents, but as always, happily sat on her lap for pictures. They turned out so great!


I was able to print off the pics and give them to Sister Mary Clare to take with her, along with a picture of Chris and Gabriel from last weekend. We had a wonderful time talking with her and her parents. She is a beautiful person-- you feel grace when she is in the room. I only wish she could have stayed longer. We exchanged hugs three times as we were saying goodbye. She gave Gabriel a blessing and he gave her a kiss on the cheek-- it was adorable.

If she ever comes into town again, David wants to take her to the elementary school and have lunch with Rebecca. It would be wonderful for Rebecca to spend time with her. A nun in a public school.. now wouldn't that cause a ruckus? (David has the best ideas!)

What a special visit from a special person. We are so blessed! Thank you Lord for such a special gift today!

3 Days and Counting

Okay, we're not quite as obsessed as some "other" people out there, but not to be outdone...

In 3 days, we'll be rooting for our Aggies. Yes, we've had some down seasons (more than we'd like to admit), but this year... this year, we're goin' all the way. I'll be praying to every saint in heaven that our Aggies kick butt this year. The kids are well on their way to being brainwashed... Joshua already says "Aggies rule" all the time. You'd better believe our kids bleed maroon and white. It is not a question of "if" they go to Texas A&M, it is a matter of "when." We don't have pom poms because we don't have cheerleaders, we have Yell Leaders and we'll be yelling with them while we watch the games.


GIG 'EM AGGIES! WHOOP!

Mixing Business and Pleasure

David reminded me today he has a business meeting Thursday night... at the Texans football game. I was supposed to go to Parent Information night at Christina's preschool, but I realize that is just not going to happen. Yes, we could get a sitter, but I'll see if I can just have a conference with Christina's teacher instead. I admit it, I am pretty bummed. This will be our 5th year at KWMC, but I still like to go to the info night and meet the teacher.

David say if it wasn't a new prospect for a potential deal worth 7.5 million dollars, he would gladly stay home. I told him it wasn't fair he gets to have all the fun. He told me, "Honey, it's still a business meeting." I said, "Oh, really....why do you have to watch football at the same time?"

"I'm Not Who I Was"

I've loved this song since it came out. It's also the third song on my playlist. Brandon Heath tells a little bit about how the song came about in this video. (turn off my playlist at the very bottom first, so you view the video properly)

Years ago, I didn't believe forgiving someone was truly necessary to live like Christ. I know better now. Not only is forgiveness a great virtue, I realize you have to do it (and to the same person who might have hurt you) over and over and over again. Forgiveness means giving up the hope that the past could have been different. And just once doesn't cut it...Jesus meant what he said, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times."

The End of Summer

(Well, in Houston, summer's really not over until December, but anyway...)

I told the kids last night at dinner I was sad they were going back to school tomorrow. Every night, we ask the kids 3 questions, and then David and I answer them as well:

What are you glad about today? What are you sad about today?

What was your gift to Christ today?

The kids didn't understand why I was sad until I said, "It will be just me, Christina and Gabriel, and we'll be lonely without you. And who's going to help with Gabriel, carry the groceries in for me, and check the mail?" I know Rebecca is excited to start school, Joshua would rather eat dirt (lol). But he knows school is inevitable, and a new backpack, lunch box, and shoes has somewhat eased the pain.

Really, I know it's back to school time, but I am sad. They've been a big help this summer. They did their chores, put away a million cups of applesauce and yogurt from the store, counted snacks for our trip, played peek-a-boo with Gabriel, read books to their little sister, and even left me alone a couple times a week so I could sneak in a cat nap. I'm just being a sap, I know!

We drove them to school this morning and of course, we took pictures before we left the house. In another year, I'll have 3 kids in elementary school. I can't even begin to imagine that. We'll have 3 huge packs of school supplies to lug...David will have to bring his wheelbarrow.
As a third grader, Joshua is upstairs this year, so he feels pretty special :-) I met both of their teachers, and I felt great about both of them--they're both experienced, and Joshua's has a reputation for being kind, but firm (exactly what Joshua needs). Rebecca didn't have her 2 friends who live on our street in her class this year, but I was sure they were going to break up that very social trio (lol). But Rebecca is so outgoing, we know she'll be just fine.

Please Lord, watch over my children this year. Please bless them with good instruction, sharp eyes and open ears to learn. Help them remember to be Christ to others. And please keep them safe...Amen.

My Brother's Joining the Army

Last night, my brother Chris came into town, and took me out to dinner for my birthday. He is the sweetest, kindest, most considerate guy I know (and he's still single, so if anyone has a sister or friend we could set him up with...)

We went to Brio, and he ordered me a glass of preseco before I could say anything. It has been a long time since we'd talked, and over dinner, he told me he was joining the Texas Army National Guard. He wants to do this so he can get flight training and experience all while keeping his current job. The Army will pay for all the training, so he sees this as a great opportunity. Our great-grandfather, grandfather, and father were all Army officers, so he's carrying on quite a tradition. Being in the Guard is different-- his commitment would be for 8 years (6 years active, and 2 years inactive), one weekend a month, etc. and the process to join is pretty intense. He started taking private flying lessons a couple of months ago, so in a way, he's already started.

First, if all goes according to plan, he's getting sworn into the Guard next week in San Antonio. He's hoping to start Basic Training (10 weeks) right away, and have it coincide with Air Traffic Controller Training (AIT). This would go for about 4 months. Next would be Warrant Officer Candidate School for 3-4 months. Finally, he'd have flight school for about one year. All the training will be at Fort Rucker in Alabama. After that, he would get his assignment (deployment). This doesn't mean he'd go overseas though (most likely it would be stateside). He's confident the Iraqi war would be over by then, because he's not really interested in going there-- and neither am I! He's 6 feet tall, but he's still my little brother.

He's decided upon this track because he ultimately hopes to fly helicopters (Apaches, Blackhawks, etc.). I wasn't nervous until he told me about the "Jesus Nut." On a helicopter, there's essentially one nut that holds the entire rotor mechanism together. So flight crews typically say something like, "You know...if that nut fails, the next person you're going to see is Jesus." I can tell you already I'll be praying for Chris like you wouldn't believe. I'll be asking for all the saints intercessions and then some. And his guardian angel better be doing double duty.

Chris is excited, and I'm really happy for him. I've been praying lately, asking God to please give him a great path for his future. Apparently this is God's plan for him. The Army still has the GI Bill, so he could go to graduate school after his commitment is up, and they would pay for all his school expenses. My brother is one smart guy.

Chris is also Gabriel's godfather, so we made sure to snap some pics before he left. I couldn't decide which was cuter, so I posted all three. Gabriel has a couple of lovely mosquito bites on his forehead, but he went right to Chris and put on a great face for the camera.

I couldn't remember the last time I got a picture of us together, so we had David take one for us.

So my brother's off to join the Guard. I am so proud of him, and I love him to pieces.

After dinner and dessert--a piece of heavenly chocolate cake, he let me drive his BMW home. It has a manual transmission, (yes, I know how to drive a stick!), and it was SO much fun. If you're a recovering control freak like me, you'll understand. :-) The day I ditch the mommy van, I'm going to get a fun car like that.

Chris is very fit, but he says he's working on his push-ups :-). I know he'll be just fine. I told him to be careful, and he promised he would be. I'm still going to look up whoever the patron saint of pilots is.

Ta Da!

I've been waiting until my birthday to makeover my blog, because my grandparents send me a check every year. It was totally worth it, don't you think? Thanks Shauna! I LOVE IT!

This One's Worth Reading

I stayed up late last night so I could read in it's entirety, The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands by Dr. Laura Schlessinger. I've read a few books I'd consider life altering. The first one being The Hidden Power of Kindness by Fr. Laurence G. Lovasik, which taught me how important is is to be NICE. Not just with words, but actions also. Go get it and read it if you haven't already. Another book, Life Giving Love by Kimberly Hahn. Bet some of you have read it, and if you haven't, you really should. You wouldn't believe how a former Protestant so completely embraces the Catholic Church's teachings on life and love. One more, Amazing Grace for Mothers which I read while I was recovering from Gabriel's birth. Thank goodness for inspiring stories to carry me though my fourth child's jaundice and his return trip to the hospital when he was 6 days old. But... back to last night's venture.

Dr. Laura's book is full of her no nonsense, no holding back, honest truth about how women take care of their men. She says society has led us to believe the male species is nonverbal, insensitive, ego minded, and are incapable of doing anything around the house. Well, she proves all that wrong. In a nutshell, she say if we take better care of our husbands, they'd walk through fire for us. After all, we want the knight in shining armour, and they want to be our heroes. This got me thinking.

I unfortunately did not have great role models growing up. And that's all I'm going to say about that. It has taken me the better part of 10 years to realize I cannot act like a child just to get my way. And treating my husband and kids with compassion and patience is God's way. Now, I know all this intellectually. Thanks to my upbringing, I've had to work really hard on undoing my upbringing because (I am ashamed to say this), it was pretty much ALL WRONG. I'm a lot better than I used to be, but there's always room for improvement.

I'll be the first to admit it... I don't give my husband enough credit. Sure, I joke and say I wish he was more "domesticated." But he's a genius when it comes to fixing anything broken, grows an amazing garden, is the first person my friends call when they need help with a home improvement project, and is the best father in the world. He never, ever complains, gripes, yells, or loses his temper. Seriously, thanks to his upbringing, I've learned there are no sympathy trees or pity parties on his side of the family. I am extremely grateful for that.

In her book, Dr. Laura says we need to put our husbands first, and take care of them so in turn, they will treat us like queens. Who wouldn't want that? Now that doesn't mean waiting on them hand and foot, but how about taking a couple of extra minutes to sit with him after the kids are in bed? And thanking him for taking out the garbage (even though you took it out every time for the last 2 weeks)? Maybe telling him to go ahead and give him Friday night to go play pool with the guys, or play a round of golf on Saturday? Men need a break too! We can't expect the world from them if we don't give them any means to conquer it! And lastly-- now don't laugh girls, they need more sex. There, I said it. Dr. Laura mentions we give all our time and energy to the kids, and the husbands just want some too at the end of a long hard day at work.

So, starting today (and wish me luck, because I know I have plenty of shortcomings), I'm going to say, "Thank you honey," more often. I'm going to cook my man a steak every once in a while, 'cause he's a carnivore. I'm not going to say a word about the suitcase in our bedroom, with clothes still in it from our vacation (even though it drives me crazy). And when the kids all run to the door to greet him when he comes home, well darn, I'm gonna be first in line. I should get a kiss and hug first, right? (Talk about beating back the mob!)

Well, if anyone else reads it, let me know. David says he's going to read it next ( and yes.... he initially bought it for me). I wonder if he'll like it as much as I did. My guess is he'll like it even more!

Shop 'Til You Drop

Today was the day. The day I know I'm going to spend money, sweat like crazy, pray fervently for the sizes I need, and hope we all come home in one piece. It's back to school shopping during tax free weekend.
I had a friend of the family tag along today. Natalie is 13 and eager to help. So her task today was to herd the kids if they strayed, and keep Gabriel happy. She did a fabulous job too-- thank God for those little graces God sends our way.

We started at Kohls, and headed straight to the boys department. Our Joshua can only wear Sonoma slim fit jeans. Not baggy, loose, carpenter, regular, or relaxed fit. Only slim fit, and believe me, we've tried them all. And all different brands too. Last week, I'd found 4 pairs in slim fit, and in Joshua's size (7x) We found one more today, and it will have to be enough.

Rebecca and Christina needed slim fit jeans too. I think retail stores should be like those buildings where the ladies' restrooms have 2x as many stalls as the men's restrooms. They need to make more jeans in slim fit. They obviously have not made enough for my family. We lucked out and found enough in their sizes although Christina's have an elastic waistband and I'll have to take them in for her just a bit. And then we found bermuda shorts in denim and twill for Christina (on the clearance rack!). Thank God bermuda shorts came back into fashion. I cannot bear shorts that are so skimpy on length, they barely cover a child's behind. Even David says, "No girls of mine are wearing 'daisy dukes'."

Of course, the girls needed a few long sleeved tee's, and we found some, "2 for 12", so Christina got 2, and Rebecca got 4. They each got matching tees, in a purple print and a pink print. Yes, I've encouraged it, but I'm glad they enjoy dressing alike. Who knows how much longer that will last.

Lastly, we hit Payless for shoes. I had the great fortune of all my kids destroying their tennis shoes over the summer, but thank God (another small grace), it was BOGO time. We found shoes everyone liked, but Christina wanted Tinkerbell shoes, "just like Becca's." We had to call the Woodlands Payless and put her shoes on hold. Gabriel got a pair of shoes too, since with the BOGO, his were only $6. (yes, score one for mom!)

Then we drove through Chick-fil-A for lunch. The one on I-45 was so crowded, we decided head to the one up on FM 2920 instead. By now, Gabriel was crying, his way of saying, "I've had enough shopping--and I'm hungry!" He'd been an angel up unto this point. We make it home, and the kids and I chow down. Shopping makes us really hungry! After lunch, the kids wanted to try their shoes on again. I realized Joshua had picked out a pair of size 2's, but he'd measured at a 2 1/2. Oops. I wasn't paying attention was I? So we'll have to try a 2 1/2 when I go back to get Christina's shoes. No way am I paying money for shoes that are too small. Then I noticed one of the shoelaces on Gabriel's shoes was nearly shredded in half. Oops again. Guess that means 2 pairs of shoes are going back.

The only thing I didn't find today was denim shorts for Joshua. Kohls was cleaned out, so I'm saying a final prayer that we'll get some tomorrow, hopefully on sale or clearance.
Overall, today was an 8 on a scale of 1-10. But now, I have a headache. Think I'm going to get some ibuprofen and take a nap!

Saying Goodbye

Ya'll know I was an Army brat. I'd moved 7 times by age 16--you'd think I could handle saying goodbye without being a mess. But last night, I said goodbye to one of my best friends, Karrie. Her husband has finally found a job after being unemployed for 8 months... in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Now, if this were me, I would be coming unglued. Literally. I would not be handling it well at all. I would be shaking my fist at God and saying, "Why are you doing this to me and our family?" I've moved a lot in my life, but it doesn't mean I liked it. But this is Karrie we're talking about. Sure, she's anxious, scared, overwhelmed, stressed. She's never lived anywhere but Houston her whole life. And her 16 year old daughter feels like her life is over (we can all understand that, right)? And yet, Karrie has this unwavering faith. You just would not believe how strong she is. She doesn't think so, but let me tell you, this woman is a ROCK. They are not looking back for one second, their courage is unbelievable. The boxes are being packed up as we speak, and they are going-- they don't know a soul out there in NC. But they're going... because they trust that God will see this plan through for them.

Karrie and I have know each other nearly 10 years. We went through all four years of FAMILIA together, and are now both Regnum Christi. We used to be on the same Regnum Christi team. We've grown in faith together, laughed together, cried together, you name it (and had some margaritas together). Karrie is famous for asking "quirky questions" (tell something you did as a teenager-- did you get away with it, or did you get caught?) She has inspired me SO much. Through her, I've learned what true charity is. That you have to not just speak charitably, but think kindly too. And you can be mad at your husband all you want, but you still have to love him (and others) as Christ did. I don't know anyone else who would let me vent for 45 minutes over the phone while she was relaxing in her tub. That's a true friend you know.

So last night, we all met at Gina's house and had an Encounter with Christ (Regnum Christi meeting) and to say goodbye to Karrie. I held back the tears until I hugged her. And then I cried, and whispered in her ear, "I need you Karrie!" As least, I don't know yet how I'm going to manage without her. I am so happy her husband has a job, and I know God has marvelous things in store for her and her family. But I still bawled all the way home.

This song is one I used to sing in college at the end of each semester in church when I was in the student choir. These words made me cry even harder- but Karrie, this one's for you. I love you. I'll never forget you, and I'll always be praying for you. Next time you're in your tub, call me!

Packing up the dreams God planted

In the fertile soil of you

Can't believe the hopes He's granted

Means a chapter in your life is through

But we'll keep you close as always

It won't even seem you've gone

'Cause our hearts in big and small ways

Will keep the love that keeps us strong

And friends are friends forever

If the Lord's the Lord of them

And a friend will not say never

'Cause the welcome will not end

Though it's hard to let you go

In the Father's hands we know

That a lifetime's not too long

To live as friends.

With the faith and love God's given

Springing from the hope we know

We will pray the joy you'll live in

Is the strength that now you show

But we'll keep you close as always

It won't even seem you've gone

'Cause our hearts in big and small ways

Will keep the love that keeps us strong

And a friend's a friend forever

if the Lord's the Lord of them

And a friend will not say "never"

Cause the welcome will not end

Though it's hard to let you go

In the Father's hands we know

That a lifetime's not to long

To live as friends

"Friends" by Michael W. Smith

Um...that's NOT Holy Water

We have an art niche in the foyer, where we have some religious items including a bottle of holy water. David got into the habit of blessing Gabriel with some of the holy water whenever they walked by the niche. Gabriel will now try to bless himself with any kind of water. I caught him tonight in the girls' bathroom, scooping water out of the toilet and patting himself on the head. He couldn't understand why Mommy grabbed him and washed his hair for the second time that night. How do I explain to a 18 month old that toilet water is NOT blessed? Does this mean he has a religious vocation? One can only hope and pray.

Happy Birthday Christina (aka "Pink Freak")

We had a birthday party for Christina yesterday, and broke out the water slide so all the kids could cool off, (and keep the party outside ;-). Everyone had a good time getting wet!

I have to tell ya'll Gabriel was so cute out on the slide. He can't climb it, but he'll splash around in the bottom where the water has collected. All our kids have been blessed with my skin tone--they'll tan, unlike David who burns. After I took Gabriel's swim trunks off, he had a gorgeous tan and a nice white butt. I spared him and didn't take a picture, but I'm seriously thinking about it next time he gets wet. David thinks we should let him run around naked next time to even out the tan (ha, ha).

My brother had asked me what I thought she'd like as a present, and subsequently sent a Uniqua costume (one of the characters from The Backyardigans). Christina's favorite color is pink, and this costume is conveniently Pepto Bismol pink from head to toe. All she needs now is a pair of pink socks (amazingly, we don't have any at the moment). I think I know what she wants to be for Halloween this year...

David and I are usually prepared when we have parties. But one thing led to another and we really pulled it together at the last minute this time. David and Christina went to Walmart to get the cake, ice, and sodas for the party. They got home just after the party started, because Christina had been holding the plastic figures and cake topper at the store and of course, lost them. She probably put them down somewhere and forgot about them. A quick search of the store by Daddy was in vain. So I ran to the computer, printed off a couple of images on card stock, and stuck them in the cake. Nobody noticed a thing. After all, you take a few pictures, blow out the candles, and cut the thing up, right?

Christina got a couple of really neat presents this year. She is the hardest to buy for right now. I mean, she plays with everything Rebecca does, and Lord know we have enough toys to fill a warehouse. But she got a big jar of beads that you could make jewelry with, and a plastic "cake" you can draw on, decorate with clings, and then erase your work and start all over again. And... this girl is loaded. She got money from both sets of grandparents and great-grandpa Lanphear. Grand total, $65. Seriously, what does a 4 year old girl do with that much money? I know what I would do...buy her new shoes and shorts for school. David said I had to use our money. Jeez, what's the difference? Our electric bill went through the roof last month, thanks to our provider raising our rates by 20%. Plus gas is still high, and food is more expensive than ever. I am trying not to worry about it these days. I guess she can't go to school in bare feet and no bottoms. Sigh...

Last, but not least, we put the finger guards on Christina's right hand today after church. She has been sucking the ring and pinkie fingers of her right hand since she was 3 months old. I felt we needed to do it so she's more apt to use her hand for writing, coloring, cutting, etc. at preschool this year. Thankfully, when Tammy gave it back to us, she put in some extra pink bands. It helps when your child's favorite color is... that's right, pink! She doesn't like it very much, but we promised her a trip to Build-a-Bear after 6 weeks (that's how long she has to wear the guard). So far, so good.
I can't believe Christina is 4 now. I looked at her 3 year pictures, and she still looked like a toddler. Now she really doesn't look like a baby anymore, she looks like a little girl. I think God should make time go by just a little bit slower. I'm sure it still wouldn't be slow enough. I kissed and hugged her last night, and she said, "Thank you Mommy, for my birthday party today." I wish I could record that moment somehow. Okay... I'm going sappy...

Happy Birthday to our sweet, precious, and funny little girl!

Reisinger Road Trip Day 10: "Houston...we have arrived home."

We left New Orleans this morning and headed to the French Quarter for a "must do"-- eating benigets at Cafe DuMont. David decided to take the kids up the ramp to see the Mississippi river, took a few pictures, and let Rebecca take a couple pics of the streetcars as well and then got a table.

We ordered benigets, orange juice and a large coffee (for David, not me). Joshua gave the french doughnuts a "thumbs up, " Christina had a few nibbles, Gabriel happily munched away on David's lap, wearing his share of powdered sugar, and Rebecca declared them, "really, really good!" Here's a couple of pictures of the kids digging in.

Then we headed down the street to Central Grocery for another "must do." David had to get a jar of olive salad, a whole muffaletta, spied a bag of chips labeled, "tomato creole spiked with real Tabasco," and got those too. Actually, the kids were getting restless, and combined with a store full of breakable glass jars, I was afraid of the worst. So David took everyone except Joshua with him to get the van (we'd had to park a few blocks away), while I waited for our order. The staff had just started making muffalettas for the day, so it took a few extra minutes. We met David on the curb, and started the drive home to Houston.

I made sandwiches on the road, and we only stopped once for gas and bathroom breaks. About 10 minutes from home, Rebecca pitched the most unbelievable fit. In between tears, we finally figured out she was terribly upset that she hadn't taken any pictures with her camera. The batteries went dead during the trip, and we didn't have the forsight to bring extras with us. She finally calmed down, but it took many gentle words and some coaxing to get her to stop crying.

We got home, David unloaded the van, and vacummed away all the signs from the long trip, the cheerios, used napkins, and empty wrappers from a million fruit snacks. Just for fun, I took a pic of the huge pile awaiting me after David brought everything inside.

I was able to get mostly everything unpacked and put back in place-- although I calculate about 8 loads of laundry awaiting me tomorrow. Gabriel was perfectly happy playing with all the toys he'd left behind. I realized watching him he'd met two minor milestones on our trip. First, he stopped crawling, and is now only walking. Secondly, he has started to shake his head to say "no." It will be interesting to see when he'll verbalize his "no" instead of just shaking his head.

I also realized how little time it took for things to be "normal" again. The kids were begging to watch TV and catch up on all the Pokemon episodes they'd missed. Being the tough mother I am, I made them upack most of their things first. Milk was spilled not once, but twice during dinner, both times by Rebecca. Ahh, home sweet home!

Reisinger Road Trip Day 9: Headin' south to "Nawlins"

We got a later start than we wanted to this morning. We were out of gas, so we filled up the tank, and then went through a Hardee's for breakfast. The food was good, but it took forever. So we didn't get on the road until 9:45. We stopped twice for bathroom breaks and for lunch. David let Gabriel "drive" for a few minutes during our second break. He has to be the cutest driver ever-- but he needs a serious set of pedal extenders.

God was on our side, we made it to "Nawlins" around 4PM (but it felt like 5PM because we'd switched from Eastern time to Central time when we crossed the border into Alabama).

Up until now, we'd been staying in 2 or 3 stars hotels, courtesy of Hotwire or Priceline. But David snagged a "4 star" room at the Hilton in downtown New Orleans, and let me tell you, it is nice. The kids were "oohing" and "aahing" from the minute we walked into the lobby, and then really let loose when we got to the room. For $59 a night, it's too bad we're only here until tomorrow. They begged to go explore the rest of the hotel (Joshua had been allowed to go up just one floor at our previous hotels). We had to explain to them this was a hotel that would not appreciate curious and noisy little children roaming the halls. Boy, were they disappointed. They cheered up when we told them there was an indoor pool, and we'd go swimming after dinner. I found this convenient photo on their website of the hotel, our room and the pool.

I'd asked the front desk about a good dinner place, and the staff recommended Acme Oyster House. We decided to walk, since it was supposed to be just a few blocks away. We accidentally turned down the wrong street, but then got our bearings and found the restaurant. The food was very good, and we were glad to get in and out before the dinner rush. The portions were not huge, they were just right, unlike seafood restaurants here in Houston that serve a generous platter of french fries, and some seafood on top, which was the opposite here (more seafood and less fries). Like my friend Susan who just visited New Orleans, I sure don't want to know how many points my fried oysters, shrimp, and red beans and rice were, but it was definitely worth it.

We took a very short ride street car ride back to the hotel (for the kids of course), and then hit the pool. There was a hot tub that Gabriel couldn't get enough of, but the water was just a tad on the warm side for a little baby boy. Nevertheless, he keep trying to climb in, and I finally took him and Christina back to the room and got them ready for bed. David, Joshua and Rebecca were not far behind, and we put all of them to bed. Right now, they are as quiet as can be-- I know the long car ride was tiring for them. It still amazes me how being in a car and not being terribly active can make kids (and adults) so tired by the end of the day.

I am sad our vacation officially ends tomorrow. I am not sad about the massive amount of laundry that awaits me and the washing machine that has undoubtedly been lonely for the past 2 weeks. But we had fun, got wet, dirty, and made great memories, and yes... I have the pictures to prove it!

Reisinger Road Trip Day 8: The Aquarium, Coolidge Park, and The Walnut Street Bridge

We did a lot today! We started off with breakfast in one of the 4 restaurants on the hotel grounds, The Gardens Restaurant. We've had breakfast there every morning because the kids eat free--all four of them, as long as 2 adults eat full price (what a deal!). We could eat off the menu or the buffet. Gabriel was especially hungry (he's been eating like crazy this whole trip). Here's a picture of him polishing off his 2nd plate.

Gabriel loves to explore the huge lobby of the hotel, so after he ate, I let him walk around while everyone else finished up. There was an old-fashioned telephone booth that Joshua discovered the first time we stayed at the hotel, so he and Gabriel checked it all out together.

I should tell you all about this hotel. It used to be a rail station back in the day, and it's been converted into a hotel. There is the main building, and three other smaller hotels that were added on later. Each building has its own pool. At the front desk, there is still a sign that says "Ticket Office," which was probably found during the renovation process and moved into the lobby.


There is a free shuttle service that runs through downtown Chattanooga, and it stops at the Tennessee Aquarium, and we took it so we wouldn't have to pay for parking. The tickets were expensive, but well worth it. I'm sure the Houston Aquarium has as many exhibits, but this one had such an impressive layout. The kids even liked the ticket stubs.

The Aquarium has two main exhibits, the River Journey, and the Ocean Journey, and they're in separate buildings. Each is designed for visitors to start at the very top, and work your way down. A series of ramps are in the middle, and the separate exhibits are on different levels. The kids wanted to start with the Ocean. This started with a butterfly garden which Rebecca liked because there was a picture guide you could hold while you walked around and identified all the different species.

Next up was a saltwater tank where you could touch small sharks and stingrays. Joshua and Christina (okay... and Mommy too) wimped out and wouldn't touch them, but Rebecca and Gabriel did.

Next up was a tank of penguins, (macaroni, emperor, and a few other species), and a guide was giving a short lecture while feeding them. The penguins moved so fast, I couldn't get a picture, but they sure were cute. Gabriel was completely in awe, he couldn't get close enough to the glass to watch them.
The most impressive part of the Ocean Journey was a HUGE (and I do mean huge) 4 million gallon tank that went all around the ramps and held all manner of fish, sharks, sea turtles...you name it, it was in there. Every time you come out of the smaller exhibits, you're just a few feet away from the tank while you're walking to the next exhibit. Here are some pictures-- it was dark, and it wasn't easy to get a good shot, but we tried anyway.



As you can see, there were plenty of places to stop and just watch. It really felt like you were in the middle of the ocean, and you were TINY compared to the giant ecosystem around you.

We finished up the ocean, and headed over to the River Journey. This building started out with an exhibit of river otter, and they were just as cute as the penguins. We'd gone into another exhibit, and Gabriel and I lingered for a minute so I could get a picture of the otter tank. A staff member came out and explained it was feeding time, so I ran to get the kids so they could feed the otters. It was so much fun to watch those otters catch smelt in their jaws-- they were real pros and put on quite a show.

The rest of the River Journey featured a special exhibit on seahorses, and other exhibits on wildlife in a river. It also explained how watersheds were different in other countries (a rain forest delta would not be the same as the Mississippi delta, and so forth). We saw river eels, turtles, alligators, and more fish. By now, the kids were getting tired, so we got back on the shuttle, grabbed lunch along the route, and ate Subway back in the hotel room.

Rebecca and I then headed back out for a little shopping. We took the shuttle again, since it was pretty hot. We headed down just a couple of blocks to the Warehouse Row, where there were a couple of shops, but not much else, since this place is undergoing renovations. But it was still nice to spend time with just Rebecca. She "helped" me pick out a necklace of rose quartz with a mother-of-pearl pendant with matching earrings, and I got her a push-up-pop on the way back to the hotel (which cooled her off nicely--so she said :-).

By now, Christina and Gabriel were up from their naps, and we went back to Coolidge Park. We rode the carousel first, because they don't allow wet clothing on the ride (understandable of course), and then got all wet in the fountain. Gabriel sat right next to a couple of the water spouts, and they'd periodically shoot really high, which scared him, so I'd have to rescue him every once in a while. But he still liked it, and it was great to cool off in the water. Here are some pics from the park.

We stayed for about an hour, and then packed up and went in search of dinner. We'd scouted out a few possibilities on the web, because I didn't want a repeat of last night's saga. We stumbled upon a place called The Mudpie, and it was reasonable, so the kids had pizza, David had a meatless burger (not sure what it was composed of, but he said it was good), and I had a southwestern salad with a chipotle based dressing-- also very good.

David REALLY wanted to walk across the Walnut Street Bridge after dinner. This is one of the longest pedestrian bridges in the world, (1/2 a mile) and it connects downtown Chattanooga with the North Shore district. Somebody had to pick up everyone on the other side, or cross the bridge again to get the van, so Mommy (gratefully I might add) drove around to the downtown side and met David and the kids. Gabriel missed out and stayed with me because David promised Christina he'd carry her across (and he couldn't carry both of them). Here's David's pics from the middle of the crossing.

David had promised the kids one more dip in the pool, so when we got back to the hotel, I kept the younger two in the room and the rest of the gang went swimming. I can't blame them, the pool really is neat. Here's a picture of it from our 4th floor balcony-- and there's a hot tub under the red gazebo.

Tomorrow will be a long drive to New Orleans. We'll stay one night, and then home to Houston on Thursday. Good night Chattanooga, and thanks for all the fun and fantastic memories!