West Texas 2012 - Part 1

We left for our mostly annual West Texas adventure early Friday afternoon. We stopped in Johnson City for a yummy lunch at a hidden little cafe and then again in Stonewall for our peach ice cream. It was a good year for peaches, and Brian loaded up with fresh peaches and plums.
  We arrived at the River Haven Cabins in Leakey just in time to get a quick swim in before it got dark. The Frio was beautiful and clear, and it was fun to experience a new place. Everyone did some exploring with their goggles, rock throwing, etc. The cabins were full of extended families on vacation, and it really made me miss my cousins... We made a late dinner and crashed out around 11, after Autry had a nice long freak out.

  The next morning we got up, ate some cinnamon rolls, and headed out to Kickapoo State park, about two hours away. It's a new state park, pretty much in the middle of nowhere, and Brian had signed us up for some spelunkering. I was hesitant about the idea because it was a lot of driving, but it ended up being a really cool experience. The cave was awesome and huge, and the guided tour was way more relaxed than any we had been on before. It was a lot of scrambling around and more freedom to explore rather than just stay on a small trail following a guide. The kids did great, we were in there for an hour or so and even Autry hung in there until the end. We spotted a Painted Bunting and a Vermillion Flycatcher at the state park, and Brian was excited to finally get to eat some berries off a bush that someone told him were ok to eat.
We got back to Leakey in time for a little more swimming, made dinner, and crashed. We got up the next morning, packed, said goodbye to the Frio and were off to Balmorhea.

independence day

Every year on the 4th of July our neighborhood gets together and has a parade and party. They have been doing this for 50 years, supposedly the longest running neighborhood parade in Austin. The event is very Austinish - an eccentric mix of trashcan brigades, unicycles, old cars, strange bikes, spanish dancers, ROTC kids, firemen, politicians, and of course, what get together can be complete without guy with giant snake. Have fun with that one, Brian. It is a lot of fun, with a different vibe than the annual drunken strangeness that is New Years. Of course, that parade does have bagpipes... and lots of yelling.





This guy cracks me up. On Halloween he wrapped himself in saran wrap and hid in his trashcan, jumping out and yelling at the unsuspecting trick-or-treaters. He certainly added a little bit of extra drama to our night. Luke is still trying to come to terms with it...



Sierra and our across the street neighbor.

painting

Sorry, these are sideways and not the order I tried to put them in. I'm sure I'll get the hang of this... The kids were working on making a background for the aquarium in their room. It has finally stopped raining, so we can be outside!





Sierra - "Look, I'm Cinderella with no pants..."

swing-bot

We have these great neighbors, super socially responsible young couple. From the moment they moved in I think we have kept them entertained with our front yard antics. They don't have kids, they have cats, and they call us "the breeders." Anyways, they have nicknamed Autry swing-bot, which I think is really quite fitting.
love,
Jubilee

los patitos

Los patitos means the ducklings, which is what the kids are reminding me of lately - all three of them in a little row, quacking away. Here we are in Mexico, towards the end of a long road trip. Lots of quacking.
love,
jubilee