Goliad Camping

Here we go, week two of Spring Break, off to Goliad State Park and camping.  It sprinkled on us the drive there and we quickly set up our tent.

The rain stopped and we enjoyed exploring their short trails, the mission and riding bikes again as a family of four!!

Dinner and s'mores.

The edge of the highway had beautiful bluebonnets and our first large groups to see of the season.  

We woke up to an amazing green world on St. Patrick's day.  Other years, we had really learned about the cultural and history of the holiday but this year we focused on the color green.

We went birding as a family and the girls were able to sit still and observe.  They were excited about the cardinals which is a good reminder to be excited about common yet beautiful things.

Then we hiked around and did a second day of crafts at the mission with the rangers.

Inside, they got to ring the bell (once per hour) and light candles.  After missing the inside of the Alamo, it was great to spend time in here.

The nightly rain forecast was 100% and we were the only people in our tent circle.  They had open shelters so we decided to move and it was a good decision.  It poured all night long!

It is so great to all be biking and we went down to the river for some fishing.  Caleb caught a whooper!

We got Junior Ranger backpacks that had id books as well as journals to record your experiences and leave for others.  We had fun reading what others wrote and were proud of Gloria's writing!

"Gloria, 6. March 17, 2015 (a butterfly creating a beautiful oops) My caught a catfish and we saw a tree with a bee hive"

Back at the campsite we had dinner including green peeps.  We stayed dry from the rain in our nice shelter.  Next morning, we rode around, rang the bell and packed up.  A great camping trip!

San Antonio

Spring Break!  The girls' school has a two week break and Caleb was able to take both off!  We had two sets of plans and last minute both got canceled, so we seized that day and planned something new.  Caleb and I checked to find a LQ with an indoor pool (that was working) and decided to go to San Antonio!  We stopped at Natural Bridge Cavern on the way down.  Here is the Natural Bridge over the cavern.

We did a self paced tour with lots of other people.

Its a big cave with lots of features.

There were several other spring break activities like this maze.  The girls did it together and were A Mazing :) really they worked together and didn't get frustrated.  

We checked into our hotel and enjoyed the cool pool and hot tub.  We played water animal charades and had fun splashing.  It has been months since we had been in a pool.

We got all dolled up (though it was cold so we just wore jackets over their Mexican dresses) and headed to the Market Square.  We ordered a big Mexican meal (and having kids-you never know what to expect-we got everyone their own thing and Gloria ate one bite of her meal, though she had no problem finishing her ice cream sopipilla, then the next day we ordered three big hamburgers to split and the girls each ate a whole one) and enjoyed the Mariachi music.  Second half of our meal we didn't talk at all, we just listened to the trumpet blaring at us.  

We then walked around the market area and saw this family remembrance shrine.  After participating in Dia delos Muertos the girls were really interested.  They also had spending money so much of our trip was spent counting money and looking at random junk, I mean, the perfect souvenir.  They both got a stone at NBC, Gloria little man & basket and Lydia a harmonic here.  Then at the Buckhorn Gloria got a necklace.

Back to the hotel, we went to bed and woke up for great LQ breakfast and didn't follow our normal MO of heading to the tourist places early but took the time for another quick dip in the pool/hot tub.

So when we got downtown the lines were long!  We walked along the river and then checked out the line to see the inside of the Alamo and decided an outside picture would be good enough for this trip. We then headed to the Buckhorn Museum and Saloon.  Lots of animal heads and horns, including a narwal, but the girls' favorites were the optical illusions including a fairy.

From there we ate lunch and headed back to the River Walk.

Watching ducks was the highlight there!

We saw our first blue bluebonnet of spring and had to take a picture.  We headed home in time to play with neighbor friends and go to bed!

ADS campout.

 Over Valentine's weekend, Austin Discovery School had an Unofficial campout at Palmetto State Park.  The weather was wonderful.  Pretty cold the first night but then nice and warm and sunny on Saturday and then we got some rain on Sunday.  150 people camped and many others came out for the day to play. This photo is from Saturday's potluck.  Caleb was working so I got the girls there after school and set up our spot.  He arrived after breakfast.

 I brought wading clothes but of course they needed to get all the way in-in February!

 The kids really enjoyed playing together.

 The campfire was a huge hit and the kids constantly were poking it.  We enjoyed s'mores!  The last night I joined a group of adults that sang until quiet hours.  Campfire songs with guitars!

 There was no way to get a photos of how many tents but there were a lot!  This is breakfast time on Sunday morning.

 A quick hike along the Palmetto trail and then fishing time that Caleb hosted before getting rained out and heading home.

Paddleboat fun with Tigerlily and her dad from Gloria's class.

February

A short but full of fun month!

 ADS had a dance for the younger grades.  We got there early, had fun and left when it got loud and crowded.

 We had a family fun day out on the town.  Natural Gardener is always a favorite and we needed something to replace our agave.  Here they are walking the labyrinth.

Sweet bunnies at Calahan's.  

Dance number 2!  Daddy and daughter after In & Out Burgers.  Sheri & I visited Rasmia while the dads and girls had fun running around on stage and a little dancing.  

Gig'em Bears!  Every year Dad & I go see Baylor beat the Lady Longhorns in Basketball.  We thought the girls were old enough so we invited the whole family.  Caleb had a fishing event at Mueller so we joined the crowd and tried to fish, then headed to the stadium.  It was a fun and closer than normal game.  Then headed to Shady Grove to eat.

 ADS does an annual Labyrinth Festival.  The children dressed in their favorite color and were given a colorful cup to focus a dream or goal into.  They then meditatively walked around the labyrinth...

 and received an encouraging word from the person dressed in the same color as their bowl.  Both girls got blue and Ms Kelly, the behavioral director, who runs the parents' book club and R&R room.
 They then gave their bowls to adults who hung them into art.  Gloria's goal was something her teachers had encouraged her earlier in the year: to do the right thing and help others to do the same.  Lydia's was to get a horse.

 Lydia's class then performed a couple of songs.   Then posing afterwards with Gloria's friend Hazel.

 Caleb was gone for work so on Saturday we joined Tingting & Summer to celebrate Chinese New Year at China Town Market.  Lots of stuff was going on, including dragon dances, and police horses.

 The girls did another linguistic experiment at UT and we enjoyed the campus afterwards.

 Carpool buddies at Chickfila!

 Ash Wednesday.  We went to the Presbyterian church that meets at Parks Hills.

Linda came for a visit and our first cold weather ice delay was the morning she was here so the girls got to hang out before going to school late.  

2nd bi-annual CAJE retreat at Dorothy's in Belton.  It was cold and nasty but we braved the hot tub and spent two days talking!