We are still here

we are still here, just very busy, the children are all back at school..Cara in the UK heading to University, and Allan and I trying to regain some sanity after a very busy summer.
I will update the blog as soon as possible with lots of photo's and news, but just thought if I could let you know we are here, thinking of you all and generally enjoying life.
A quick update, Ben is now a fist grader, Alex a third grader, Jack is a sophomore, and Allan has moved offices...Tex is coming along and coach Jay is training her with us on the evenings, you would be proud of that pup..well large soppy black Lab really now, she will be a year old in 6 weeks..and Allan another year older in only 10 days.
We are heading for Labour day weekend next weekend, then it is into Halloween and then Thanksgiving..followed by Christmas..so lots of holidays coming up as well.
Our weather is cooling down now, we were so close to beating the all time recorded record of days above 100f, it sits at 69 consecutive days, but it had to last until Sunday and on Saturday it did not make it over 99f..so we are cooling down...good news, been mighty hot for a very long time.

They drove into the sunset!!

Ok, a bit dramatic, especially as it was 0930 in the morning, but they did drive away..

Allan took them to Houston as he was off work as the office is moving, and on Monday he goes to a new building...closer to home actually.

allan stopped on the way and gave them lunch at 'Whataburger'..Thomas went for the tripple burger and cheese, it is HUGE. Ellie once again was ladylike and did not try and compete.

Thomas texted me when he was at the gate, then Allan left and drove home...

We are looking forward to them coming out again...it all seems so far away next year, but hopefully it will fly by.
Now i only have Alice left, and she flies home with Cara at the end of August..

imagine how quiet this house will become after this summer...

T and E final meal out

So on their last night we went off to the Steak house and they had there last steak from Texas.
Alex did not want a kids meal, so had a half rack of baby ribs.. and finished the lot, all his sides and had two giant milkshakes...obviously having a growth spurt!!!

Jack and Thomas both had the biggest steak on the menu...and they finished it.
Cara, Alice and Ellie were more lady like and Bens kids portion was huge, but you can always rely on Allan to clear any left over food...it is getting less and less as the younger ones get older, and Cara only ever gives away her tomatoes...poor Allan.

IHOP on the way home

On the way home we stopped for some pancakes for lunch, they had not been to an IHOP, so wanted to go. I think they were suitably impressed with the size of the pancakes..

Just FYI IHOP is open 24/7 365 days a year, even Christmas day..sad really, but very useful as well.

we used them at 5am, the day after we arrived as we had no food in the apartment and everyone was hungry and awake early, so our IHOP initiation was with in 12 hours of arriving in Texas.

it is a favourite place for the kids, as they serve pancakes with everything...Jack of course likes his with steak..no surprises there. Alex just likes a huge stack of them.

As you can see Alice had chocolate chip ones, Thomas had 'pigs in blankets' it is starter option, and althought the sausages are small I reminded him it is about the pancakes!!

a good time was had by all, allan text me in teh middle of this to say a storm was forming near us, and sure enough the heavens opened, so i ran to the car and moved it nearer for them..although Ben wanted to play in the rain...we get so little that it is fun to play in and so refreshing..like having a shower really. so wet we headed home.

The Alamo

This time we made it to the Alamo, with the car behaving itself the whole way...most impressed I was.

It is such an important part of Texas's history, that i wanted to show them, and I grew up knowing the film The Alamo, but it seems it is no longer in fashion..none of them knew a thing,

I dutifully made them sit through he film made by the History channel, only 15 minutes long but it sums up the The Alamo.

Never gone around it so quicky, but I gave them some history and feel good for it...a parents prerogative..ahhhh I am not their parent, well I felt it was my duty to force the Alamo on them and feel they learnt something and at least enjopyed being somewhere different.

The weather was fantastic, we went early to miss the main heat of the day and ate ice creams as well.

The boat trip was fun as always, and i learnt new things about san Antonio, Alice and I sat last night and watched a doulbe fest of miss Congeniality, so we could see the stage and the Alamo on the film, as I pointed these out on the trip.the boat trip.

Wednesday's toobing!!

this morning i took the older five tubing at Andy's toobs, down at Canyon lake, they went down the Guadalupe river.

The first challenge of the day was getting them up, we needed tehm to be on the river early, before the sun got too hot . I think early morning are going to be something Thomas and Ellie are not going to do for a while once they leave Texas!!!

then I drove them down there and dropped them off with a cooler and food and drink to feed an army...you just never know ...Cara made all the sandwiches..


Then i9t was up to them..they did the four hour ride, as it will be the last time they do tubing for this year..Alice might get another go, but T and E wont so we made it worth it.

You have a variety of pictures, Cara took my camera ...she is someone i can kick about if it got ruined...it didn't by the way...and I wanted to be able to show you what they ahd been up to..

The tubes have bottoms, this saves your own bottom, but they ahve all managed to get sunburt a lottle and tube rub on their arms..germoline applied accordingly when they got home..Sun lotion was applied before the went and i sent some more with them..

reapplying it was obviously not the order of the day..

well enjoy the pictures, we are off to the Alamo tomorrow, so more photo's from there.

Monday is cleaning day...

They have all learnt that Mondays is deep cleaning day...no escape and I get them all up so we can crack on.. the only day i get them up unless they are due to go out on a tourist run...

Thomas and Jack went for a sleepover at lunchtime, so we will see them tomorrow . I will pick them up on my way to Austin park...a fun filled mad house...rock climbing, dodgem boats, go-carts, mini golf, and loads of things inside as well...I personally hate it...really noisy, but |I am not your theme park girl...I am just dropping and running tomorrow..A and B are going to see G force with cara. so they are happy. Allan we are letting go to work...he is very pleased with that I can tell you.