Remember the Alamo.

Another end...this time it's flag football. Rusty's team ended with the rest of the season but Flip's team got to go to the "Superbowl." It was an eye opening experience. We got a peek into the world of professional pee-wee footballers in training. Apparently, other leagues sit seasons out so that they can train for the Superbowl of flag foot ball. And still other teams pull the all stars from all the teams in their league to compose a team of the fastest, most agile children under the age of 5...really? Yes, really. Well, we took our team of mostly first year players. It was a beautiful day out. The game(s) were at a different field than we normally play on. When we got there, the boys were their normal 4 year old selves...wiggly, not listening, flying around the field. The team they were playing was lined up doing push ups and yelling out chants. We soon realized they had an offensive AND defensive coach. They had plays called "Sponge Bob" and "Superman." They had cheerleaders. We just had a good time. We lost but the kids enjoyed it and we did as well.

We also took a little car trip to Rainbow river...I am going to skip all the night-marish stories about waiting in line for 2 hours to rent our tubes, Mike locking his keys in the car, and cranky kids and just say that when we finally got on the river, it was a wonderful time, wonderful day and something I had not done since I was kid. I enjoyed taking my kids and the ride went too fast.

And then there is Texas...via Alabama. Ruthie had no gymnastics the week of July 4th so I loaded the four little ones into the car with DVD players, Game boys, coloring books and snacks. We hit the road early and headed for Dinah's Mamma's house in lower AL. We made great time and the kids were awesome the whole way. We spent the fourth with them at a lake with yummy southern fixins and lot's of fun times.

When our time in Alabama was over, we loaded back into the car and hit the road for my grandparent's house in San Antonio. I really had a good time driving with the kids. We stopped at rest stops and got out to eat. They were so good the whole way that when they weren't talking to me, they were quiet doing something else and I was able to listen to my music and just enjoy the drive.

After spending one night in a hotel, we met my mom at my Aunt Becky's house and spent the afternoon swimming, eating and getting caught up with them and my cousins. Then, it was back on the road to San Antonio. I had been meaning to get out to see my grandparents for the last year...but, with four kids, there's always something. When we got to the village (Air Force Village) I was amazed to see the improvements taking place. They now have a wonderful gym equipped with all the bells and whistles and a nice size lap pool. They are also in the process of building new condos all over the place.

My grandparents are now living in the assisted living area and they seem to be happy there. Now that I am a older, and a mom, I am not happy to see them there. I would like to see them still living independently and closer to family. Since they will hear none of that...to the point where they would not even ask anyone to take them to my cousin's wedding even though it was breaking my grandmother's heart, I have decided that I will have to find a way to get out there a few times a year. I did manage to talk them into going out to eat a meal. They took us to a little restaurant outside the city and we had great Mexican and even better desert. They put us up in a very nice two bedroom condo where they came over to visit with us.

My memories of them as a child are so different than the people I see today. I remember them being kind and generous but now they are loving and emotional. We cried together a few times and we talked about things that were "grown up." At 32 years old, I feel like I finally got to meet them as people...not too sure that makes any sense at all but they are two pretty cool people who have seen a lot in their lives, helped a lot of people and loved their family deeply.

When the visit was over, we loaded the kids into the car and hit Schlitterbaun, the World's #1 rated water park...and it was a blast...except when Ellie fell out of her tube on a slide and my mom nearly had a heart attack! Then it was more miles and more miles, a drive by of New Orleans in a torrential down pour and back home...a very full week.


Although neither Flip nor Ellie are facing the camera and there were other pictures where they were, I like this one because my grandmother was laughing out loud at one of the absurd things that regularly comes from the red head's mouth.

Once a week, my grandfather prepares and delivers little bags of cookies to all the residents and staff of the health center. The kids really enjoyed helping with this and my grandparents really enjoyed showing the kids off to everyone. I included the picture of Ruthie's back because as we walked around, Ruthie just naturally took over pushing my grandmother and I got a little choked up because I can remember that is exactly what my brother, Rusty would do. Every time we went anywhere with my grandparents, you would find Rusty behind her chair.

After a morning of visiting, we took the kids downtown to the Alamo and the wax museum. I liked the one of the kids with Lance Armstrong because not a few weeks later, Adam and I accidentally found ourselves in Paris on the last day of the tour and got to see the finish LIVE! That post is coming soon, I promise!