Photo(s) of the Day for April 23, 2009

Meet our new friends

Sebastian, 11

Ivan, 3

"Sebastian is really fun. He's not like some of the other kids we meet, like ones who swear. 

I've never met anyone like him. He was just really nice and fun."

-Lucas

"Ivan was a really really funny and fun kid. I liked tickling him because he would just keep laughing and laughing."

-Lucas

"Sebastian was fun and he liked to wrestle."

-Josh

"Ivan was fun and dangerous! He liked poking with sticks. I didn't mind that he poked with sticks because he was smaller than me and it didn't really hurt."

-Josh

"Sebastian was fun to play with and it was fun tackling and doing that kind of stuff."

-Matt

"It was really fun to play with Ivan because he was small and wanted to play with sticks even though by accident he hit me in the nose with a stick, that was okay I didn't care."

-Matt

Photo of the Day for April 22, 2009

Josh and Madison took it upon themselves to pick up garbage at the RV park today.

Happy Earth Day!

Photo(s) of the Day for April 21, 2009

Feel Better Krystal!!!!!

We hope you get well soon Krystal!

Photo of the Day for April 20, 2009

Lady Bird Lake

a stroll

along lady bird lake

we saw: 

'at least 20 turtles!'

a hissing swan

rowers

public art

 bridges

a baseball field

squirrels and birds

nests 

palm trees - in texas?

the sun was shining

and we were together...

what could be better?

Photo of the Day for April 19, 2009

lady bird lake

austin, texas

Bob Bullock State History Museum

The Story of Texas-Born around the Campfire...

On Saturday, we spent a leisurely afternoon chillin' at the Bob Bullock State History Museum. 

This museum had three levels of information and artifacts intricately displayed which truly did tell the story of Texas. What was especially impressive was the use of multiple forms of media used to draw our interest. We especially enjoyed the interactive presentation of 'The Story of Texas' which included wind, smoke, rain and the sensation of rattlesnakes shaking up your seat! Following our walkabout looking at longhorns, oil rigs, war planes, astronauts, the Alamo, swords, knives, pottery and guns ... we took in our first family IMAX movie at the museum ... 'Monsters vs. Aliens'! So much fun...we all really enjoyed it.... I know it was a departure from the historical element of a museum... but so be it... it rocked!

*BTW- can't take pics inside the museum- copyright protection... :( bummer - hence the limited pics! 

Photo(s) of the Day for April 18, 2009

'Monsters Vs. Aliens'

Imax Style!

Austin, TX

Photo of the Day for April 17, 2009

Photo of the Day for April 15, 2009

Photo of the Day for April 14, 2009

team work!

by ali and lucas

Photo of the day for April 13, 2009

Photo of the Day for April 12, 2009

Kids Singing 'Goofy Goober' Song 

From Sponge Bob

to Lisa, Jeff, Will and Me

for our Interactive Easter Sunday Scavenger Hunt

This pic makes me smile! I guess you'd have to have been there to completely get it....:)

Enchanted Springs Ranch makes the big time

Hello Blog.  Jeff Here.  I know you haven't really heard from me before but when Pistol Packin' Paula said that Enchanted Springs was listed on Oprah's website as one of the top 10 wacky family attractions, I just had to find out if that was actually the case, being the forever-optimist that you all know me to be.

Well, she was right....a quick search at www.oprah.com very quickly revealed Enchanted Springs as #5 on the list.  Check it out at:

http://www.oprah.com/slideshow/relationships/family/20090220_orig_family-attractions-parks/5

That will teach me to doubt a woman packin' iron.

New Friends at Enchanted Springs Ranch

We were excited to meet up with our 'cyber-friends' yesterday in Boerne, Texas at the Enchanted Springs Ranch. Through following each others blogs, Krystal and I have gotten to know each other and recently we were pleased to discover that not only would we be within the same state at the same time, but within a 2 hour drive from one another! So, yesterday we made an 'in person' meeting happen.

I love reading about other people's real life stories and experiences. The FOTR (Families on the Road website) has provided a forum for all of us RV'ing road trippers to read, connect and identify with other like-minded individuals. Everyone's story is unique and inspiring to me. I have enjoyed following Krystal's blog as she is an articulate, thoughtful and funny writer. I also love her pictures and admire how much time she spends with her kids doing things that they really love. Krystal writes with authenticity and candidly shares her observations, experiences and feelings. I knew I would like her-and was happy to get to know her and her family a little better yesterday.

We missed meeting Auburn as she was caring for her sick dog. I hope we can catch up with her another time. Meeting Austin was a treat though... Austin is one of those young men who can effortlessly carry on a conversation with anyone about his ideas and takes initiative and interest in inquiring about other people's thoughts and experiences. I know many adults that can't do this! I think Austin and me could chat for hours! 

The rain held off for the most part, but for when we had some lunch-Nathan saved the day by finding us sheltered picnic tables! As we moseyed around this old-fashioned replica of a western town, there were several highlights including: the longhorn named Woodrow, Pistol Packing Paula, baby calves, deer, zebra, wallabe, random soldiers fighting 'bad guys', watching the sheriff arrest criminals and make them do a 'tea-cup dance' as punishment for their crimes of stinky feet, flirting and flatulence and a wagon ride where we observed wild animals hopping, running and lazing about.

Paula said that Oprah's website indicates this place as one of the 10 top wackiest places in the U.S. to visit-Jeff is skeptical about this :) I'll have to check sometime for fun.

We enjoyed a pleasant day and are amazed at the possibilities of building a global community while living a transient kind of life through the technology of the Internet! Will wonders ever cease?

Thanks for a great day!

Photo of the Day for April 11, 2009

oh baby (s)

new life at ehchanted springs

boerne, tx

Photo of the Day for April 10, 2009

Josh's pic of a gecko he and Ali found

Photo of the Day for April 9, 2009

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

We enjoyed an afternoon at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin with Lisa, Madison, Ali, Katie and Cindy.

It was a hot afternoon with a nice breeze and we all liked walking around leisurely. Matt's highlight was climbing to the top of the San Antonio Tower.  Lucas liked looking at the caterpillars and minnows with Mommy and touching the turtles too! Josh liked everything as usual-he has a hard time pin-pointing one or two things he really enjoyed most. :) Very easy-going kid!  I liked the blue bonnets and seeing how  fascinated the kids are with nature. Oh ya, and thanks to Lisa, Lucas savoured a smooth Kraft peanut butter sandwich! (can't get Kraft in the U.S.) Matt had his first peanut butter and jelly sandwich!  In the past, he hasn't let me mix the two together-but when Lisa offered him a sandwich, he went for it and liked it! Yay! Nothing like pb&j!