Last Day of School 2021

School is out for summer!! And while last year was a slow peter to the end, this year we were able to enjoy the full excitement of a whole school year complete and relish in the change of pace that comes when summer begins. 

Both Alex and Gretchen had great years academically. Both kids are avid readers and their ability and comprehension are exceptional for their ages. We saw nothing but "3"s and "A"s on their report cards are are so proud of their work in school.

While this school year was closer to normal than last year, parents were not permitted in the school and there were no in-person gatherings all year long. The Book Fairs, holiday parties, concerts, exhibitions and large school events of previous years didn't exist due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, so we were thankful to have Ms. Shockley as a first grade teacher for Alex - as we know her from teaching Gretchen in first grade. Most notably because not once during the entire year did Jon or I meet any of the kid's teachers in person.

Alex and his beloved 1st grade teacher

The last day of school brings with it the last day of school bus ambush. 

Firefighter Graham to the rescue!

We were so happy to see some friendly faces for the first time in a long time!

Water balloons on Daddy!!

Our big FIFTH grader now!

Graham's preschool had a make up day tacked on to the end of the year, so the first day of summer for big kids was the last day of school for little man. This unique combination of me and the two big kids being home lead us to try a not-so-little-kid-friendly activity. Indoor Rock Climbing.

It took a minute to get our bearings...

Just a few minutes in, and they were climbing high!

To new adventures, fun activities and tired kids. Let summer 2021 begin!!

Wimberley is the Place to Be

 As most have over the last year and a half, we have spent a lot of time at home. After a few months of cabin fever, we made a plan that in celebration of Jon's FORTIETH birthday, we would meet our best traveling friends, the Newhooks, for a nice weekend away.

Wimberley is a little town off the main highway between Austin and San Antonio, TX. It took us a bit over 3 hours to get there from home. This was made to feel like a much longer drive due to the "Very Active, Possibly Damaging, Expect Hail and Wind Damage" storm that we drove through for over an hour of the drive. Jon's cool-under-pressure demeanor makes him the best person to be driving through these conditions. I was a wreck.

We made it to our rental house in one piece, and the storm cleared the way for sunny skies for the rest of the weekend. Our back deck view was perfect. Right on the Blanco River, in a nice, shallow area that the kids could all wade into without too much concern.

All of the kids were happy to put on PJs and cuddle together the first night.

The next day we ventured into town. This little downtown was as cute as they come. Little murals on the street walls, old filling stations that were converted into antique shops, but still small enough that the only intersection in town had a policeman placed to serve as both stoplight and crossing guard.  A candy cabin. A frozen yogurt shop. An outdoor beer garden and pizza parlor complete with a play structure to keep little bodies content.

Gretchen tried on new angel wings.

We took a selfie! We never remember to take selfies!

Gretchen and Talia always fall right back in step whenever they're together.

After getting too warm on the playground, Graham found his own way to stay busy.

The chosen activity of the weekend was wading in the river. The water was still pretty cold, but no one seemed to mind until it was time to get out. I loved watching all of our kids play, in person, with their friends. 

Me and my girl

The cypress trees lining the river were teaming with these cute little inchworms. Some people in our group found them more endearing than others. 

We had marshmallows by the fire.

And a beautiful, clear, full moon night.

And the guitar lead song talent comes out just as the sun sets.

This was a great reset weekend for us. I highly recommend this little getaway for a driving weekend away. 

High Flyin'

Our family extends, quite literally, from one end of the country to another. So when a pandemic arises and it is deemed unsafe to travel with crowds, we go without seeing family for as long as it takes. It took a long time. As of March, 2021, over one year since COVID-19 brought the world to a halt, all adults on Daddy's side of the family are vaccinated and my brother and sister-in-law align the stars to allow us to travel safely together for a much needed family reunion. 

Via private plane. Cheers to that! 

Gretchen looks good as co-pilot, but I assure you, there were professionals flying this bird.

Gran and Poppa coined the occasion Gillstravaganza, an appropriate title for the first time we have been all together in years. The same forces that kept us apart kept us altogether for the whole of our trip. Thank goodness we had a comfortable place to stay!

Pizza is a fun and functional activity for a night with family. While Gran works tirelessly behind the scenes to make the dinner smooth, all other members feel like part of the process to build, design and bake their own personal pizzas. New recipes and creative toppings mark every pizza night, and Poppa had more help than he bargained for while working the famed oven itself. 

Chef Alex and his masterpiece

This trip included a birthday celebration for big girl Halle! It is so rare that we are together, it seemed only fitting that there was a time stamp for one of the cousins. Chocolate cake, chocolate milkshakes and ice cream - who could ask for anything more?

From start to finish this long weekend was a blast. The effort and coordination behind making this weekend possible is a testament to how much our family cares about being together. Halle's face sums up the sentiment perfectly. 

Old MacDonald Pumpkin Patch

We have visited a few different pumpkin patches near our home in Texas. This year, we decided to try the Old MacDonald Pumpkin Patch.

Texas pumpkin patches are funny. The pumpkins are shipped in and laid in farm fields for you to "pick", but they are not actually grown on the vine. Pickup trucks all over the farm can be seen filled with the next batch of pumpkins to be laid out to keep the patch full. It's fake, but I appreciate the continued tradition of getting outside and taking some colorful pictures. 

This farm sells bags of food to feed their petting zoo of animals. The majority of our time at the farm was spent feeding the animals, either through fences or in the pen with the less aggressive species.

Graham feeding a billy goat buddy

Alex was hands on with the precious baby goats

Gretchen gets up close and personal with a sheep. Their pupils are always startling to me. 

Everyone took a pony ride! Daddy took Graham around the circle as he clung to the saddle for grip.

And then, the sand hill. Even with pumpkins and animals and a playground, the sand hill won for most fun of the trip. The kids rushed to the hill, immediately taking off shoes and socks so maximize playtime. Climbing up it! Running down it! Nothing beats a big pile of sand. 

I insisted on one sibling, maskless photo before we left.

 And then we picked our pumpkins out off of picnic tables and took a few home with us. Each child entry fee comes with an included pumpkin, so each picked their favorite to come home and live with us through autumn. We had a great day of playing outside and doing something seasonal, thanks Old MacDonald Farm!

Surfside Beach

 We did it!! We finally made it to the Texas waterfront! Surfside Beach was clear, shallow but still had surf, it made for a fantastic day trip!!

These kids were exhausted and happy - my favorite combination

We haven't flocked to the beach here for several reasons, the main one being that it is usually a lot of work. Parking, dragging all of the stuff - in the heat - and then managing young children in natural water has been more work than we were willing to do in a day. This is where Surfside was ideal, you drive right along the beach looking for a parking spot on the sand. Your stuff is right there!! Once we parked, we put up a tent for shade and tailgated on the beach. Someone needs a snack - we've got a cooler, someone needs a drink - we planned for that too. The only thing lacking was a fully built bathroom, port-a-potties were the only option. 

Our friend's son Jacob was an immediate Alex fan - and Alex loved every second of it!

The sand went on forever, with just enough water to keep you cool

We will absolutely do this again!