SE Texas Trip

In early August I loaded up the boys and did a tour of my hometown. We started at Granny's in Baytown.


My 16 yr old brother is looking older all the time. Makes me feel old...


Mom grilled us some yummy food, then we drove around sight seeing. The boys loved seeing the battleship near the San Jacinto Monument and riding a little ferry there.

The next day we met up with more family, closer to Port Arthur.
Somehow I missed a picture of Dad (Randy) and Aunt Mimi... :(

Grandma Dodie and Aunt Stephanie. Aunt Steph has also survived raising 3 boys and is a great support to me. ;)



The newly-weds, my sister Randi and brother-in-law Dan. They're also new parents to a cute puppy...


Meet Baxter. Isn't he cute?!


I also got to visit with some of favorite cousins.

Danielle.


My sisters Mari and Randi, and cousin Melissa.


We stayed with Aunt Randi & Uncle Dan for a couple of nights, and enjoyed their great backyard. I enjoyed spying on the owl that lives in their tree. I think he spied back....


Chandler enjoyed Baxter...They have a lot in common, ha!!


We also met up with our dear friends, the Haynes, for some swimming at the Nederland Pool. :)



I love having an underwater camera. This is Chance, showing me how he can do flips.


LOVE this kid!


Aliceson got this pic of Randi & I. It was a bit nostalgic, we hadn't been swimming at this pool since we were kids.


Then we spent a day with Aunt Peggy at their newly rebuilt beach cabin (Surf Shack #1 was a casualty to Hurricane Ike). Thanks, Aunt Peg! It was so fun!!


The boys loved playing on the beach, which is much cleaner than it was when I was a kid (thanks to Ike, I assume). They had a blast riding on the golf cart, making sand castles, finding hermit crabs, etc.



There's something cool about watching your kids play the same way you did when you were their age...


Then it was back to home base in Nederland, where we got to spend some time with Uncle Mike. He had gone out and bought the kids toys...It was like Christmas! Thanks, Uncle Mike! I'm so glad we got to see you.


Then we headed over to Aliceson's for the night, since the boys missed their friends (ok, I missed my friend too!). Aliceson read a bedtime story - she had all 6 kids completely captive. She's good with kids like that!





Emily had earned herself a pet kitten. The kitten was a big hit with the boys, too.


The next morning we decorated cookies for Emily's birthday...Happy Birthday, Emily!




And jumped on the trampoline, had a dance party to the Ghostbusters theme song, etc. So fun!

Then it was off to a family dinner with most of my mom's side of the family.

Aunt Mimi (my sister Mari) and her beau Jimmy.


Somehow we actually managed a group shot!


Chandler inspecting (soon-to-be-Uncle) Jimmy's nose...or something.


My sister Randi with our cousin Keely.


This is my cousin, Carlos. When we get together, we always try to get a "Carlos'N'Charlie" picture. This time Chance joined in, too.


Which was soon followed by this:

{No men were hurt as a result of this photo. Not sure about after, though...}

The next day we met up at Sonic, and the boys got to meet one of their Aunt Mimi's dogs.


The gang, Charlie, Jimmy, Dan, Randi, Mari and Chandler.


And for our last day, we ended with a bang. Granny, Bubba and I took the boys to Gator Country.

Bubba and Charlie, waiting for the show.


Chandler, poking a stuffed alligator's eyes out.


A blurry shot of Chandler kissing a full grown (miniature) crocodile.


Charlie volunteered for the show, they told him to close his eyes and hold out his hands...


So brave!!


After the show...




I get shivers just looking at this photo.


They also got to see "Big Al" who is the largest American Alligator in captivity. He's 1000 pounds and 14+ feet long. Not sure I'd want to kiss him, but this guy did.


Then we went in the restaurant, and while I was ordering the boys disappeared. I found them later, sitting together at the bar, watching episodes of "Gator 911" (Which is filmed at Gator Country). It was so cute.