Colorado

Durango!!!






I want to go back right now!! We had fun and the weather was awesome!! Missing the weather the most! It was a great trip! We had a 16 hour drive - can you say stress me out!!! For months before the trip I stressed about the road trip. Harris in a car for 16 hours!!! We thought about driving through the night b/c he breaks down on our 2 1/2 hour drives to the ranch. But he did great!!! Never would have imagined.

Car loaded and ready to go! Hillbillies??? Trailer pulling 2 4-wheelers.

Harris in his seat ready to go.

9 hours, lots of stops, 1 1/2 hour stop to change a trailer tire outside of Lubbock and then we FINALLY made it!!! We left around noon and we made it to Lubbock around 9pm. Lubbock is usually a 6 hour trip - Ha!We checked into the hotel and didn't go to bed until midnight- Harris was wild running around the hotel. He had so much fun running down the halls and climbing up the stairs. He didn't want to stay in the room - he thought the whole hotel was free to roam!

This is the prarie dog farm! It was so neat. They are meant to live in this certain area, but the the prarie dogs have expanded and live on the golf course, the baseball fields etc.

We spent the second night in Albaquerque and met up with the rest of the family. We had a nice dinner and got up the next day and drove to Durango. Let the fun begin!

First - the house we stayed in was huge and gorgeous! I didn't take any pics though - darn. It was 6200 sq feet and it felt like it took forever to just walk from our room to the kitchen. They had a wonderful gameroom that the kids REALLY enjoyed playing in. Harris LOVED playing with all the big kids and college kids. He thought he was one of them! They had netflix, Wii, pingpon, nerf guns, 1000's of legos, etc. It was perfect for all the kids!

Daddy and baby on the 4 wheeler - baby loved them (he calls them the "mow mow") This is the front yard of the house.

More prarie dogs - they love carrots and bread.

The house -WOW, dad and all our cars!
The guest house - we didn't have access to this, and the pond

Loved riding the 4-wheeler with gramps!

Yes they have a Teepee - the kids didn't care too much for it.

Trampoline -soo much fun.

We drove up to purgatory one day after horseback riding.

Daddy, baby, Hunter, John and I hiked one day.

Harris did SO GREAT in the backpack. We borrowed the back pack from our cousin Marshall. Harris hung out in the pack while we hiked. He didn't complain at all! Amazing - never would have thought he would stayed in there. He actually can sit still for awhile! I hiked with Kathleen the day before and he did great that day also.

Enjoying a snack. We hiked this trail because the map said there is a "lake" at the top. Well there was no lake and we hiked one trail, hiked another, and still no lake. Then we discovered a hole - which was where the "lake" is part of the year. Ha!
Dinner at the Chuck Wagon. Can you say AWFUL!!!!! We payed $25 for chicken that wasn't chicken! We all laugh now when think of this dinner! Let's say we were eating with all the blue hairs from a bus tour! We all went home and raided the kitchen!

Not in order - this was the "LAKE"
The only fun thing about the chuck wagon was the train! Of course Harris loved it. We rode with all the cousins.




On our way home we stopped at the Albaquerque zoo for a break from the car. Harris loved the Flamingos. They make a funny sound and Harris would copy it.

Hanging out in the truck at the gas station somewhere in Texas. Great entertainment!

We had a great trip and can't wait to go back! It was a wonderful break from our 100 degree + temperatures that we have had for over 77 days this summer in Texas!

Swim Lessons and Taylor playdates!

We have had a busy summer in July and August. LOTS of traveling and now swim lessons! And it has been hot hot hot!We are now working on 100 + degrees for over 24 days straight and they don't think it is going to end anytime soon! And we have broken numerous records for the hottest days - aren't we proud! Ha!The subdivision pool is like bathwater - not very refreshing! We have been venturing out to Dick Nichols and Deep Eddy for some cooler water.

Since getting back from Durango we have had some play dates with Taylor, who is Harris's favorite person! He is loving that we spent the Frio with her and then Durango and now play dates at home! Nonnie came in town to take care of Taylor while Christine and DJ work, so we kept Harris out of daycare to spend time with Nonnie and "Tae Tae". And Tae Tae has come over a couple of Fridays to stay with us also. Funny thing Taylor said when Harris would not nap and was very fussy "Will you take him upstairs and rock him! I can't stand the fussing!" You and me both Taylor!

Harris loves the water hose - its a great entertainment when your bored and these is not much to do in the HEAT! I think we change about 4 outfits a day and finally we just go naked when your always covered in sand or water!

Harris's teacher Lisa - she was great!

Harris did so good at swim lessons. He became much more daring after the second day! He loves to throw himself in the water in the baby pool - doesn't care that he goes under, water in his nose or eyes! Most kids his age hate to under the water. We are having to be right on top of him to pull him up when he goes under. He is all boy! And he loves to jump off the side. He says "jeet" or sometimes it sounds like jump. He is much more daring than all the other kids in the lesson. He has learned to kick and stroke his arms. He really can dog paddle good - but not really stay afloat if we let go. He almost can pull himself out of the water onto the ledge. Very impressive for being so little.

We are so ready for some cooler weather! Wish for 98 degrees, something other than 106 - Ha!

Our Beach Trip

Picture on the plane beginning our big adventure!



Our trip to Wrightsville Beach:





We took Harris on his first plane ride and first trip to the beach. This was his second time to see Eric's parents "Memaw and Papaw". I was soo stressed about this trip - primarily for the travel! We woke up at 4am almost missed our flight b/c little Austin airport for some reason was crowded as if it were Christmas! They were closing the gate in 2 minutes if we hadn't made it. We had a layover in DC and then flew to Raleigh and you were awake the whole time! I think we read the plane instructions on every flight - you loved the pictures of the planes - I think pre baby I had never looked at those once! Then we had a 2 hour car drive to the beach (all with a VERY busy toddler!)- can you say STRESS! But we made it and you did soo great and finally slept in the car.

Once we were there we had a fun time. You didn't know what to think about the beach the first day. It was cold too! We had you dressed in long sleeves for the 72 and windy weather. We hung out at the beach and played in the condo. The second day at the beach you had a lot of fun! We met a family from Arizona and once you saw some other boys playing you joined right in. They had some great beach toys that you loved.








This was not at the beach, just a funny pic. You stole the syrup from the fridge and ran away to sip on it. You love syrup! You eat waffles or french toast almost every morning. When we are tired and in a hurry you get oatmeal.

Memaw and you having a good time diggin in the sand.






First day: dressed warmly and somewhat not so sure of the beach. You liked the playscape at the condo the best on the first day. We stuck your toes in the water and you were not so excited about that!

Memaw, Papaw and you! They were excited to see you. They had not seen you since you were 8 weeks old.












Baby and Mama. I was cold!

Digging some more.

Second day!

Daddy attempting to build a sandcastle that you thought was soo funny to tear down!

You got in the water!

We had a fun trip! Next time we will go in August! Us Texans like it to be warm when we are at the beach. The water was too cold, even for daddy. I think we ventured out to maybe waist deep and just for a second! The flights home went pretty well. The last flight was the hardest with you. Daddy had to walk you and the nice older man next to us was very entertaining to you - he helped a lot!

17-18months old

We made a quick trip to Waco for a wedding shower for Lu, a trip to the Zoo, and to swim at Nonnies. Wow Waco has a great Zoo for such a little city! We were there 3 hours and didn't even finish! We are definitely going back soon when daddy has business in Waco! I think you loved the aquarium the best! The dark room and all the colorful fish were exciting to you! We were bad about taking pictures - we took 3 all weekend! It was soo hot and we were trying to go through fast b/c I had to get to the shower - so we forgot about pictures.

You loved swimming a Nonnie's. This was the 4th time for you to get into a pool this summer. We have been going to our subdivision pool after work and on the weekends. At first you didn't care too much for the water, but at Nonnies you were having fun splashing and watching Will and Annelise swim.

this was a cute pic from our Memorial Day Weekend at the ranch. Of course we didn't take many pics there also. We had a fun relaxing time (as relaxing as you can get with a busy toddler) just the 3 of us!

After changing your outfit 3 times (getting dirty and wet from the water hose) we let you go naked in your boots. After all that's how it should be in the summer- right!

Harris you are 1 1/2 years old! And you are a mess. You are a very busy bee. Everyone comments on how active you are! I know its a good thing - but I really would like if you would sit still a couple of times during the day.

What you are up to:

• You are very independent - you don't want us to help! It can be using your fork or spoon to pick up food or help you on the Ipad - we get a strong No! from you if we try to help.




• You love your Duplo blocks. We have had them for awhile and you never cared for them until now. You stack them and them push them around saying "choo choo" or "vroom vroom".




• You are all boy - you love cars trains, and planes. Ever since we flew on a plane you will point to the sky when you hear the planes go over. You can say "truck" and "car" an now know the difference between a car and a truck. You used to call everything a truck.




• You LOVE to play in the car. And you honk the horn with your foot - its the funniest thing! We have a tantrum when we go inside or we bribe you with something. Not so fun playing in the car right now since we are at 100 degrees most days already - but you seem to not notice the heat at all! Ha.
  
  
  


• You love to help water the plants- sometimes its the wrong plants or the pavement - ha.




• You have kind of gotten out of this stage - but you love to help scoop the dog poop! EVERY time we went outside you would point to the poop and say "dog poo" and run to find the bucket and scooper. We could not get out of picking it up! For the first time since we bought the house our yard was pretty close to being free of dog poop. Very hard task to keep up with when you have 3 dogs - but you helped us!



• You love the dogs to chase you. Reece is such a good sport about chasing you or letting you climb o her - she is such a great dog for you!



• You love to streak. Every time we take your clothes off or getting you naked you take off running. You think it is soo funny!
  


• You have gotten so good with baby signs. You can sign "more, please, and thank you" all thanks to daycare! It is soo hard to not give into you when you are rubbing you tummy so hard "saying please" - for things like gummys or the ipad.



• Your vocabulary keeps getting bigger. You are repeating us more. You attempt more words everyday.



• You love the Ipad and our phones still! We can't get on them in front of you or we have to give them to you.



• When you hear music you start dancing - it is soo cute!
  


• Sleeping - ahhh I have given up!!! I now believe what people told us before - you will never sleep again until your child is 18!!! Your sleep gets good and then goes down hill! I think it was all the traveling that messed it up lately. We went to the beach, then the ranch, and then to Nonnies, and now we have had 2 very bad nights! We had to do cry it out last night and this morning you were mad at me! You wouldn't come to me when we I came to get you out of the crib! Poor little guy! I can't wait until you are 4 - I'll lay on the couch and tell you to play and watch tv while I sleep! Ha! Or if we would let you sleep with us we would probably have no issues, but I have to tell myself No! because I don't want an 8 year old in my bed!



• Currently we are dealing with hitting and biting. It is hard to punish you because you are too young for spankings and I don't think you understand timeout. So we say"no!" but you just laugh at us and hit or bite again - so a little difficult time on how to get you to stop???
  


• Oh - "out to eat" has left our vocabulary! Since you could care less about eating, you will not sit in your high chair and want to run around the restaurant or have someone carry you around to look while the other person eats by them self! So now we eat a lot of togo food or we eat at the restaurants that have a playscape - thank goodness for those! Wish the nice restaurants would have playscapes - I could eat Eddie V's once a week! Ha!