Happy Ten on Tuesday (a little early!)

1.  I am exhausted.  I'm not sure how I'm mustering the strength to even compose this.  I've been getting up with Jason when he leaves for work and instead of having coffee and cross buns, I've instead been working my buns.  I've been going to boot camp.  And before you go calling, CPS you should know, I've been making the kids get up and go with me.  Ok, now you can call CPS.  They have been getting up at 6:16 so we can make it to the gym by 6:30.  I've been preparing their breakfast and they are sleeping in "play clothes" so they can get up and roll out.  It's an attempt to wear them out during summer.  Why is it I'm the only one tired?

This is their seat at bootcamp.  Mine is above the puddle of sweat on the pavement!

2.  We took a trip to the beach.  Well, you should know right now when I say "beach" I use that term loosely.  You see it truly is the Gulf Coast but when you grew up on the Panhandle beaches, it is understood you mean pristine white sand beaches.  This however is not one of those.  This is a brown, dirty beach with very little waves.  But, in it's defense, it's still the beach and it's a little over an hour away from us so I will try to keep my complaints to a minimum.  Our trusty GPS seemed to think that we should "make a U-turn as soon as possible" using the display picture below.  She obviously didn't understand the whole ferry concept.  

It was a fun ride and much to our surprise, it's FREE!  There's just something cool about putting your car on a boat and then driving it off again.  

 We made it to crystal beach and the digging for sand crabs commences.  I don't think they ever caught one.  They are fast little creatures.

 Only in Texas do the Taco trucks roll through the neighborhoods and the Ice Cream trucks roll up  on the beaches.  They know their market around here for sure!

 3.  We celebrated the 4th of July in our new house.  We got up early for The Woodlands 4th of July parade. We were decked from head to toe in our red, white and blue and flags in hand.  The boys loved the parade and are still talking about it.  Someone had the good forethought to hand out frozen water bottles.  That's the company I'm going to patronize.

 They do say everything is bigger in Texas.  

 The boys painted these flags and then had a bike parade around our cul-de-sac.  It didn't last long.  It was nearing 100 and they were already sweaty.  Let Freedom Ring!

 A Jackson photo bomb.

4.  Jason started his work on Monday. He left bright and early looking might fine in his suit and tie!   He got roped in a little early because the company division he was assigned to was having a conference and he needed to "meet and greet" (read: work long hours and jump in head first)  I think we both faced the harsh reality of "we're not in grad school anymore".  

5.   On Monday, the boys went to a VBS.  It was possibly the first 3 hours alone I've had in this house and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  When I picked them up I  had packed us a picnic lunch and planned to swim but the weather wasn't looking so hot.  It was a little cool/rainy.  It wasn't storming so we ate under a pavilion and fed the ducks our leftovers.  They still wanted to swim so I told them to go ahead.  There were 3 lifeguards watching the pool and only 2 children.  Mine.  So I sat on the side and enjoyed my time to veg while the kids were being closely monitored by certified lifeguards.

 6.   The best slice of heaven this side of Disney World!   This is Dole Whip in the making.  I found the recipe at Chocolate Covered Katie and folks, you should RUN, not walk to the nearest store and purchase the ingredients.  It's just that good!  I can almost hear "it's a small world" playing in my head every time I eat it!

 7.  We are making friends!  I made a friend at the gym(thanks, Sarah) that has so kindly connected me with LOTS of other people and we are really happy to feel like we have friends again!  We were invited to a couples cookout this weekend and we both really enjoyed the company!  Nothing better than a good network of stay at home moms to keep you company.  Particularly when the husband is working 12+ hour days.

8.  My daddy's coming TOMORROW!  And when my daddy flies you KNOW he's packin'.  No, no, don't alarm the TSA.  I don't mean that kinda packin'.  What I mean is that he's checking his luggage but it's not your typical pack for 4 days luggage.  His suitcase is filled with 30 lbs of garden fresh produce.  You read that correctly, produce.  My request when he came was red and green tomatoes and all the okra you can fit in the bag!  He will also be transporting a gallon of frozen chicken stew.  No, I'm not kidding.  Our family makes it outside in a big pot stirred with a boat paddle and it's pretty much the best stuff ever.  Good enough to pack up and fly to Texas.  If those agents only knew what they were dealing with, they would confiscate it for sure but they'd have a fight on their hands!  

9.  Oh yes, we did!  We dressed head to toe like cows on Friday just to get free chick-fil-a.  Have you tried their new salad?  It is GOOD!  And nothing taste as good as free!  The boys were into it and our friends were also there.  It was a great afternoon even if I was dressed like a cow.  

 This is their idea of "mad cow disease"

 10.  Finally, I covered the chairs to my kitchen table.  I had refinished it many months ago but hadn't found the perfect fabric for the chairs.  I decided now was the time and sprung for it.  It was of course the most expensive upholstery fabric at Hobby Lobby but we all like it and better than that, it won't show when the boys inevitably spill something on it!