Lost Pines Resort, Bastrop Texas

Matt, Sander and I took a quick 2 day trip to a great family resort just 20 miles outside of Austin in July (so 2 hours from Houston). We swam and swam and swam...and roasted smores :)

Sander loves his goggles!

Doing laps around his kitty after eating smores

Trying to entertain Sander while waiting for dinner

Tired boy roasting his smore

Leave it to Sander to find a vehicle he can ride in!

Kitty came with us everywhere on this trip...and he's so gentle with the Kitty ;)

Taking a snack break

Having fun with daddy in the pool

I want to go swimming!

July 4th 2009

We joined in the annual West University Place neighborhood parade on July 4th. The kids decorate their choice of riding vehicle - Sander's was his scooter and we walk about 5 blocks from the elementary school to the pool. And, literally, we walked right into the pool this year. It was sooo HOT! Then we hosted a party later that day for 4 families...it was fun!

Sander on his decorated scooter

Sander and his friend Brooke waiting for the parade to begin

The kids having fun at our party that afternoon. Sander's John Deere tractor is always a hit until someone falls off!

Port Aransas Summer 2009

We took the family to Port Aransas, TX for 5 days in June. We rented a great house just a short walk from the beach with a small pond directly behind it. Everyone had a great time! One fun activity that isn't shown here is a fishing trip that Matt took with Evan and Kyle where Kyle caught some amazing catfish that we ate .... mmmhmmm!

Sander had so much fun playing in the sand and the ocean. He has no fear of the water!

I couldn't resist :)

Sander and Zoe taking a break

Sander and Zoe really enjoyed looking in the pond behind our house where we could see anywhere from 1 to 7 turtles and even some crabs.

Zoe hanging out with Lemur by the pond

Kyle was determined one evening to catch a crab he saw in the pond...

Kyle waiting patiently. It was a fighting crab!

At any given time of the day, this is where you'd find Zoe...she loved playing in the waves!

Matt relaxing with Evan and Kyle

There were several football and lacross games on the beach

Matt has started a fun tradition with the kids where they each build a "fort" armed with little plastic soldiers and then they have battles. Here, Matt is trying to build his fort while Sander continued to knock down his castles :)

Zoe hard at work on her fort

Kyle surveying his fortress

Evan being very meticulous with his construction process

Our friends Sean and Karen Farrell joined us for a day and night of fun. Here Sander and Ashling are playing in the water.

We tried to get a family picture before we left on the last day...they don't seem as happy as we were hoping for :)

Kyle took our picture

Maybe sitting will be better? hee hee :)

All packed up and ready to head back to Houston. Good bye Port A for another year!

Sander's 3rd Birthday

Sander turned 3 on April 24th. He had a busy Birthday weekend with a friend's birthday party on his birthday and Sander's party on the 26th. Sander had 12 of his friends at his party along with their parents. It was a fun time!

Mommy and Sander on his birthday

Daddy helping Sander blow out the candles

Since we had another birthday party to go to on Sander's birthday we just celebrated with a few cupcakes and candles at home.

This was Sander's birthday present - a John Deere Tractor and Trailor

Soo excited!

This is soo much fun!

Sander and his friend Jenna at Sander's birthday party

Dylan wanted a ride too!

Matt worked tirelessly to create a Combine Harvester cake for Sander....his request!

We played one game - Pin the Tire on the Tractor. Every child received a tire with their name on it.

This is after his birthday party - it was like a 2nd Christmas!

I made a "back up" cake in case Matt's Combine Harverster didn't come out as planned

The Combine Harvester

Post Party Fun