Vacation time!!! (Grizwald Family Vacation)

Let me start by saying we DO NOT pack lightly...... We decided that we wanted to go camping, well it's way too hot in Texas so we're going to drive north to Arkansas (we've been there two previous times and love it there).... it's not humid and while it's hot in the day, it cools off at night... so off we go :) We did day excursions all over the area and had a great home base for night!!!

Here is little miss waiting on dinner to cook on the fire. I love camp cooking!!! There is nothing like it! (we do bring our own grate to cook on.... just in case you know...)

Here is our site - this park was AWESOME!!! I can't wait to go back

My little poser.

We started every morning with breakfast and a dip in the lake before hitting the showers!

Right in Hot Springs is the "Mountain Tower", this is actually on top of a mountain, it was fabulous up there!

Another quick pose....

Sun rise and sun set..... SPECTACULAR!!!!

We brought the bike....we're going to use it (and we did - a lot)

Amazing scenery...... love the roads there

Here is a "sample spring" from the real hot springs, the water is heated beneath the surface and comes out at around 147 degrees. Here is Mikayla touching it, it really is hot!

More pictures mom....really?

I think this is the most AMAZING picture ever! Michael pointed over the edge and took the shot.

Fun stops along the way....

Nice cabins we are going to stay in next time so that we can stay at more than one place :) and it's way too much work to set up camp/break camp, move and set up again...cabin camping for that for sure! We already have the next two parks in our minds!

Some fun signs.... it was fun just taking pictures of them... they still make me laugh.

not sure what nimrod thought of this one.....

We had an absolute blast... we have however decided that camping in 99 degree weather isn't necessarily the best or most comfortable idea... next time it will either be cooler or in cabins... LOL I can't wait to go again!!!

Janet came to town!!!!

We feel so blessed to see Janet as often as we have been able to lately!!! Here she is with little Miss and Bryce, he's such a cutie!!!! Mikayla had a fever the night before we were to go see Janet and Bryce (and Jason and Whitney too) so we didn't know if we were going to have to move to plan b or stick with plan a.... I'm soooo happy it worked out the way it did!

Extra lovins!!!

From one Goofball to another......

Oh yea....... LOL

Bubble time!

Bryce is so funny! He was happy to eat whatever Mikayla would feed him...but not from anyone else!

It's soooooo good to see you!!!! I love being able to spend time with you! Good times for sure!

Happy Birthday Nathalie!!!

Happy Birthday Dear Nathalie!!!! We love you!!

A special videogram for you :)

A singing kind of Sunday

I couldn't help myself in videoing the superstar of our house....

"Hit it"

Painted Puppy Days

Mikayla had a field trip with her class this week to a place called Plaster Fun House. Mikayla came home with a little puppy that she painted. I mentioned to her that IF she made it for me I would be soooooo happy to have it on my desk at work and how beautiful it is….. she said “well Mommy, I did make it for you.” Of course, I was very excited about this!! I love seeing her thumbprints all over my desk (which there are quite a few!!). She then follows up to say that it would be ok if I showed all my friends at work… so you KNOW I’m happy to do that… then the continues on to say that maybe they would write her a note. Well you KNOW that I took my assignment very seriously. My friends at work were sooooo happy to comply (thank you soooo much for that) and they even posed for pictures with the puppy.

It made me so happy to see her reaction when I showed her the pictures so she could see who I was talking about as I read the notes to her. Now mind you, Mikayla is a child of MANY words… and she was so touched that she really didn’t have much to say, with each new note and picture, she would put her hand over her heart and just listen to what they had to say ……

It was definitely a most precious memory…I will cherish it always, thank you to my friends that went along with making a Mom’s heart full and happy and for inspiring a little girl!! I can’t wait to write notes for other little kids out there….

Here is the glittery puppy!

Here is Mikayla holding her precious notes (of course I took them away to scrapbook with, I mean to keep safe..... they are true tresures!)

Some new scrappy work :)

I have been slacking on blogging but I have been doing things LOL... here is some of my latest work, I have really missed my crafting!!! I'm baaaccckkkkk ;) I have officially finished 09 birthday and Christmas - next project (besides general scrappy pictures) are Easter and Leslie's pages.... and honeymoon (yes a little late but still planning on it) plus....well you get the idea ;) I do have more layouts done that I will take pictures of :) and hopefully more to add.

This is my sister and me (and mom and dad) when we were little at my Grandma's house, it's fun to start more work on my sister's book :)

Happy 4th of July!!!

We started the celebration at the Houston festival...my gosh it was SOOOO hot and SOOOOO crowded! WOW!!! From there we went south to the boat for the fireworks.



Here was a neat picture I took at the festival... isn't it awesome how the clouds reflect in the glass of the building! Coolest picture I've ever taken (and it was with my phone camera LOL)







Here is my little goof ball :)

It is so difficult to get good firework pictures, one day I will be successful! LOL here are my attempts.........feel free to laugh!!!

LOL no clue what happened here!!

Almost got this one....

Ahhhhhh a little better!

Oh yea!!!! success.....