A busy life, but what can you expect with four children!!!Enjoying the sun, loving the rain when it comes and so happy to be receiving visitors in Austin.
The water was so warm, it was gorgeous..it was the first time for us to play and swim in the gulf of mexico..and we loved it. the sand was very soft, we were on Pardre island..the top of it, also called Mustang island. we got there by driving over a series of islands with roads, and then a short ferry ride, which was fun..we spent a few hours on the beach and had a lot of fun. we literally drove onto the beach and parked, got out and played..jack had an infected toe, so he did not go in the sea, but we did, i did not put my costume on..but should have ..i was soaked by the end and had to change for the journey home.
the boys are now desperate to go back and enjoy the coast a lot more..we will look into that, it was a lot of fun..
Alex and Ben in one of the mini theaters watching about the 'Blue ghost"
Allan!
Jack, Alex and Ben from where we had lunch after the morning on board.
We spent about 5 hours on the USS Lexington, which was what Ben had asked to do for his birthday...we did all the decks, saw so much more and they rode the simulator with Allan..Jack and I sat out that experience.
We went into the ships store..where they managed to spend some money..no surprises there really.
the ship is not fixed, it is bedded, they dug out a channel and dragged the Lex in and then piled more sand around, then they put water into her lower compartments to steady her. they say she will happily with stand a hurricane....
Alex and Ben matching down the flight deck..they were totally engrossed in their conversation it was really nice..they did not notice us, just kept walking and talking...all the way to the far end..
Ben climbing on the guns..he has some growing to do!!
The bridge over the shipping channel from the flight deck of the Lex.
we are getting good at going around ships now, the boys love too, but this was the first time it was so easy..they are now old enough to go up and down the ladders themselves and can enjoy all the areas themselves..
i am conscious when i do the blog that i am trying to give you up to date pictures of us, show the places we have visited and not bore you..never sure if the mixture of people to places is good enough, but as this was Ben's birthday trip..it will be heavy on the boys...
they tried out every single exhibit they could climb into, climb on to or ride in....every single one....
this is for me, because I am a huge NCIS fan and they are frequently at the Norfolk Navy yard....
Allan and I chose to lounge in the hot tub....light weights I know..Jack chose to stay in his room..he had one to himself and the younger two decided to be energetic and enthusiastic about the pool...
bored why we check in..but they gave us drinks on the house, and Allan and I were ready for a glass of something cool and alcoholic by then. ben chose steak for dinner, so after we had swam we walked of to a steak house for something to eat...always a jack pleaser..steak
i was trying to get the clown fish...but they swim much to fast for my camera...needed Jo there with her superduper camera....so you have these instead..
Alex and Ben with the underwater oil pipes and the sealife that lives around the oil platforms/rigs.
the boys being shown the pool and how to handle some of the creatures in it...everyone was picking them up, the lady assures me they are quiet resilient, as some children throw them....I am please to say my two did not( I mean Alex and Ben not Allan and jack..photo might be miss leading!!)
Allan and Jack watching the otter show..Alex ,Ben and I were watching from above..
so at the end of the dolphin show they encourage the dolphins to splash the water...Jack got very wet the first time, and then only Ben managed to run fast enough the second time...luckily it is southern Texas and drying out is not a problem....
part of the show
before the splashes...they look content, if not fed up with me saying 'smile' its for the blog!!!!
It took about 31/2 hours to drive to Corpus, although our journey was extended as ben had chosen to have breakfast at IHOP en route, so that is what we did..it was his birthday weekend after all. When we reached corpus we went straight to the aquarium because it was lunch time and we knew it closed at 5pm..we saw the USS Lexington as it was next door and we had a play on teh beach for a short while..and felt how warm the gulf was...now we had to fit in beach time...
First of all we had to take Tex for her first sleepover with Jay and Londa next door..it was her first sleepover away from us and out of our house...I can report she was an excellent house guest and had a great time...
The water was so warm, it was gorgeous..it was the first time for us to play and swim in the gulf of mexico..and we loved it. the sand was very soft, we were on Pardre island..the top of it, also called Mustang island. we got there by driving over a series of islands with roads, and then a short ferry ride, which was fun..we spent a few hours on the beach and had a lot of fun. we literally drove onto the beach and parked, got out and played..jack had an infected toe, so he did not go in the sea, but we did, i did not put my costume on..but should have ..i was soaked by the end and had to change for the journey home.
the boys are now desperate to go back and enjoy the coast a lot more..we will look into that, it was a lot of fun..
