Weekend fun!

We were down at the boat as often as we could be!  Gosh it's so exciting to love it so much!!!  We loved the last boat (and the 6 before it) but this one is different, she's "the one".... ahhhhhsome!

After our full week of running around, it did not take long for this to happen, we were above deck doing something and I peeked in to see what little miss was up to....and there we have it!

We made the difficult decision not to go back to Galveston, the primary reason - it's an additional hour (plus) in the car each time we go there and for a very similar experience we decided to stay back in Kemah.  So our first order of business was to secure our slip in our new marina (we've actually never stayed in this one before).  So yay!!  They had a few slips available and we moved right in (only to have to move out on Sunday to a new one....the original one needed some repairs and they wanted us to relocate - so we did!)

This marina is beautiful - fully loaded with amenities, yacht club, restaurant, pool...the real deal!!   Mikayla made a new friend.

And gave us some GREAT pictures (like the ones below).

What a goof ball, right!!!!

The pool area is fabulous!  I would imagine quite a bit of time will be spent up here!!

I'm sure from here on out (at least for awhile) I'll have many of the same pictures of us, this is the boat, this is the marina, this is the pool....but it sure will be fun!!!!

Here she is in her new home!!!!

Kingdom Rock - VBS

WOW what a week it was.  Mikayla had VBS every evening so we rushed home, then rushed dinner, then rushed back out (the first two days, she ended up finishing dinner in the car) then I would go home, then go back at about 8:30.  Phew, it seemed like a lot of running around but it really was fun.

Each night when I picked her up, the kids would perform 1 song and then on Friday they had their whole program together.

The decor is always so neat!

My dad was able to track us down a CD of the music from his church so now we can sing them all year long!  I love the VBS music!

Isn't she getting so grown up!!!

Good times!!! 

Weekend Camping :)

As you know, we tend to be light packers..... what you are about to see (**hanging head in shame**) is for a weekend adventure......

Yes we have to have our coffee....  new coffee pot for new boat!  yay!!  Start the day out right!

Our American Girl dolls travel in style complete with their own chairs.

And the real deal.....  um......  does it help to say that this was not only weekend gear but also moving back onto the boat with all the tools/supplies necessary?..... and when I opened the back hatch fully stuff fell out at us.... LOL

um yea.... that's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Anyway on to the good parts - here is a brief tour of the boat.

So we moved in!!  yay!!!  Our Abbie was a HAPPY dog!!!!  look at that first picture.... her tongue - hilarious!!  who knew, right!!!

can you say HAPPY DOG!!

Sniffing the wind.

The little dog had SO much fun - I had so much fun watching her.  She was relaxed, enjoying the every moment.  Like a little kid - she was ready to drop in the saddle but couldn't so she kept falling asleep with her head up and it kept bobbing down on her.  HA!  The sign of a great time, wouldn't you say?  Especially considering the last time we brought her on the boat - it scarred me for life because I had to hold a barf bag.... UGH, she was so nervous about the whole experience it made her physically sick and it took 8 years to attempt it again...HA!  It was a smashing success.   Phew!

We had such a nice time!!!  It was HOT out but we made it through.

Mikayla's new favorite place to sit are in the captain's chairs...they ROCK!!  Totally my favorite place to sit too!!  We are sailing in Kemah until the final terms of our agreement are met then we will take her back down to Galveston.

One of my favorite houses in the channel - yes please!!

Ahhhhhh it's SO nice to have our new boat.  It makes SOOOO many things SOOOOO much easier because I don't have to take the whole boat apart to make sleeping quarters, they are just already there.  It's awesome!  like REALLY awesome.

Mikayla only brought her two dolls with her to play with - she didn't bring anything to do and she still had a great time, it's her thing!!!!  Ahhhhh we will totally be down there doing this a LOT more often now, especially because Abbie made it so much easier too... phew!  First of many adventures!!!!

Here is Abbie on the way home.....I think she slept for about two complete days to recover from her outing  - now she's not enjoying our normal routine anymore... and who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks.....(she is 11 afterall)

Happy July 4th!!

Happy July 4th!!! We had an amazing time celebrating with my in-laws.  Beautiful decor, great weather (we were able to be outside the whole time without melting) and amazing food!

The group of kiddies!  I love seeing them all together.  I'm super sad to see Nat go to college only because she will be greatly missed!!

They all love to swim and play, here's my gal swimming towards me...

 

I LOVE the picture below!!  How fun, right!!

Then afterwards, the girls were watching Taylor Swift on tv but then got to telling secrets....

Smores anyone??  Tami found the biggest marshmallows you have ever seen.... seriously they were like the size of the palm of your hand!!!  HUGE!  and oh so yummy!

Next was some sparkler action.

Then....OHHHH these were soooooo cool - my dad brought the kids some floating lanterns - we did feel a bit like we were in the Tangled movie but really - they were pretty darn awesome (once we overcame our fear of lighting the neighborhood on fire)!!!

I suspect some people thought they were UFOs of some sort  HA!  We were able to watch them until the candles burned out, they were really neat!

Then, the time came.... it was time for the fireworks!!!!  However, the kids didn't watch them at all.  The girls were practicing tumbling and doing cartwheels and somersaults and Jonathan was busy being "shot" by all the booms.... he was throwing himself all over the place with every boom - it was hilarious!!!!  I really enjoyed watching them have so much fun!

Picture below, Mikayla after cartwheel.....fireworks in the background LOL. 

Always some time for cousin wrestling!!! 

We had such a GREAT time!  Probably the best time ever!!!!