Fun at Grandma and Grandpa's House

We are home after a long weekend at Grandma and Grandpa's house, one of the buddies' favorite places! Ace and Ben enjoyed lots of family time and outside time while were there. Lake Texoma is still 9 feet high, so the beach that we've been longing for all summer was still underwater, but we had a great time regardless. The pictures below tell the story of our weekend best.

Ben and Ace went swimming in the little pool out front many times.
Grandma even let them help refill it.

Another favorite pass time during our visit was jumping on the trampoline.
You can't beat that view!

Ben enjoyed cupcakes, watermelon, and other pot-luck staples
at the 2nd Annual Festival of the Testicle. Ace had a full helping of calf fries.

Ace thought he was a big kid when he took his turn at the pinata.
He scored some candy and stuffed it in his pockets!

Ben couldn't get enough of the ice buckets. His friend Mallory thought it was fun too.

Other interesting events included: 1) Steve and cousin Dale took first place in the 1st Annual Horseshoe Competition. They have t-shirts to prove it! 2) The buddies learned to say important Texoma phrases, like "golf cart", "Grandma", "Grandpa", "Granny", "Gramps", "lake", and "binoculars". 3) Steve hosted a 13-person poker tournament. 4) We enjoyed lots of trips to Ms. Jean's swing park. 5) The buddies played with all of Grandma's toys and ran around outside as much as they could.

Where are Austin's Ducks??

When we lived in Dallas, one of our favorite pastimes was walking 7/10ths of a mile from our front door to our neighbor- hood duck pond. The buddies were still quite young, but they enjoyed sitting in their stroller, watching the big kids feed the ducks. Now that they are old enough, they want in on the action. But where are the ducks??

In the year and a half that we have lived here, we have gone to countless parks, but never stumbled across a duck pond. After hearing that other families visit the Arboretum to play on the cow statues, eat at Amy's Ice Cream, and feed the ducks, we thought we'd check it out this morning.

The buddies had a fabulous time at the statues and licked their sweet cream cups bone dry, but the ducks eluded us. After more than an hour of searching in the hot Texas sun and asking several bewildered strangers, we gave up and headed for home. Since it was past lunchtime and both boys had filled up on ice cream, I tossed a few pieces of our "duck bread" to the boys in the backseat and they munched happily, all the way home.

Inflatable Wonderland

The buddies met their twin friends for a jumping good time at Inflatable Wonderland this morning. The kids jumped for two hours while the moms practiced our zone defense, each taking a section in order to keep an eye on all 29 toddlers and pre-schoolers.

Inflatable Wonderland is a 9200 square foot inflatable playground, featuring an 18 foot slide and several huge bounce houses. The buddies like the big slide the best but also enjoy the Disney Car's themed house. Once all the kids were exhausted, we headed to the food court for lunch. We got several looks from strangers passing by as they mentally counted our large brood.

<--- This is a picture of Ben in time out at my feet, after his third trip behind the counter with the toy prizes. He looks upset about his punishment, doesn't he?

Fun with Me-Mom

The buddies are feeling very lucky these days. The day after we said goodbye to Grandma, Me-Mom came to stay with us. During her visit, they showed her several of their favorite parks, two of their favorite pools, Waterloo (their favorite restaurant with a real playscape!), the Austin Children's Museum, Inflatable Wonderland, and introduced her to their friends at our regular playdate. Steve and I even got to sneak out and see a movie while she was here. Who will come see us next? Our guest room is ready!

Fun with Grandma

The buddies just finished spending three days with Grandma. They love this fun lady that brings trains and treats when she visits and teaches them important things, like their ABC's, 123's, and...how to remove a diaper. Anyone have ideas for how to un-teach the last one?

We had several great days while she was here. The buddies brought her lots of books to read, showed her how they they turned their chairs upside down to slide, showed off their skills in the swimming pool, and helped her bake a strawberry crisp. We tried to make a trip to Sea World, but heavy rains from Tropical Storm Erin forced us to turn our car around. We also made an attempt at a first trip to the movies, but Ben said no (very convincingly) at the door to the theater.

Now, we're gearing up for a visit from Me-Mom. We just love all the special family time!

The Austin Nature and Science Center

The buddies and I met my twin mom's group at the Austin Science and Nature Center this morning. Eleven moms and 32 (!!) kids joined us on this adventure.

The ANSC is a "living museum" with interpretive exhibits, programs, collections, and trails. Our favorite part was the dino pit, effectively a huge sand box filled with dinosaur bone replicas. Child-sized archaeological spades, shovels, and brushes are scattered throughout so that children can "discover" the fossils. We'll have to return when the buddies are a tad older and can appreciate the hands-on learning experience that this provides. Nevertheless, they highly enjoyed running around the pit and digging in the sand.

After we'd had our fill of the dino pit, we explored trails and creeks. The buddies were the only children there that splashed in the water, but that was probably because I was the only mom that allowed it. Their shoes and shorts are drying out now, but it was worth it.

After that, we were off to explore the animal exhibits, and saw birds, coyotes, and fish. Ace walked right up to the fish tank and said, "Yummy!" The other moms asked what kind of food we ate at our house (and then vowed not to join us for dinner).

All in all, it was a successful outing. We enjoyed seeing our friends and running around outside, and learned a few things while we had fun.

More Summer Fun

The buddies have been very busy with their fun summer schedule. We finally had a full week without rain, so we hit the swimming pools 4 of the 5 days and all three have nice tans to show for it. Ace and Ben have both become very accustomed to the water and swim quite well (with water wings, of course!). Ben has mastered the doggie paddle and moves himself along pretty quickly. They love water slides and jumping off the side into the big pool and prefer to do both all by themselves.

Today, we met some twin friends at Zilker Park. The kids played hard on the play scape, rode the Zilker Zephyr past the newly re-named Lady Bird Lake, and ended the outing with a picnic lunch under the pavilion.

Both boys are learning new words every day and are stringing them together into 2 and 3 word sentences. They are really into things "crashing", whether it be a truck, a train, or themselves. If Ben falls down, he says, "I crash, Bem!" Cute, cute, cute!

The Buddies and Their Friends

"The only way to have a friend is to be one." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson
"Who finds a faithful friend, finds a treasure." -- Jewish saying
"You can't stay in your corner of the forest waiting for others to come
to you. You have to go to them sometimes." -- Winnie the Pooh

The buddies and I have formed some fantastic friendships during the past year and a half in Austin. When we first moved here, a small group of moms and their twins embraced us into their group, which met twice a month. A year and a half later, that small group has embraced more and more moms and kids and the friendships have grown exponentially. We now meet once a week, have holiday parties, pool parties, Moms Night Outs, and take field trips to places like Sea World in San Antonio and the Cameron Park Zoo in Waco. The kids get along famously and the moms get to chat together while everyone plays. We swap babysitting services and cook meals for each other when someone in the group is experiencing a hardship or a new birth. These moms are truly the next best thing to family and I am so grateful to have found such a group.

Music with Mr. Johnny

Over the past two years, the buddies and I have enjoyed tons of fun outings, but I must confess, we have avoided quiet activities, such as library story times. Our boys are not sitters and they are not quiet. We've been perfectly happy attending play dates with friends, and going to parks, pools, and indoor playgrounds - all perfect for running, jumping, and being noisy boys.

Today, we decided to branch out and attend a library story time, featuring music by Mr. Johnny and Sharon, a local couple that tours Austin playing music for children. The music was great and all the children seemed to really enjoy it. That said, I think we'll return to our normal routine of parks and play dates. Ace really enjoyed the music, but both boys ran around like wild banshees during most of the show. I got quite a few dirty looks from other moms, although I did my best to keep them from disrupting others.

When the music show ended, we went to a nearby park with a couple of our friends and enjoyed a picnic lunch, followed by lots of running, jumping, climbing, and shouting.

This was the only picture I was able to get during the show.

Ben and Allie, after a fun time at the park.

Dinner With Friends on (closed) Lake Travis

This time last year, central Texas was in a serious drought. Our water use was restricted and our rivers and lakes fell dangerously low. Fast forward to today and we're experiencing quite the opposite problem.

After weeks of rain and flooding, Lake Travis, the primary flood control reservoir in central Texas, is ten feet above what is considered full. The Colorado River Authority closed the lake for recreational use, due to debris and other unsafe conditions.

As we drove past the Mansfield Dam on our way to dinner, we noticed three open floodgates and water gushing through. We looked for, but didn't see, the "sometimes islands" (nicknamed because sometimes they are there and sometimes they are not). Our dinner destination, Carlos 'n Charlie's, a popular lakeside restaurant, has lost it's beach and sand volleyball court, not to mention a ton of revenue this season as concerts and events were canceled.

Although closed to boaters and swimmers, the lake provided a relaxing backdrop for our dinner with friends. We enjoyed the views and the buddies and Mia had a blast running around on the porch.

One Last Post From Our PA Trip

It is obvious from the previous posts that our relatives kept us very busy during our trip. Below are a few of the activities that filled in the gaps between our big field trips.

Ace, Ben, and cousin Finn, playing in Me-Mom's backyard.

Ben and Ace, swimming and splashing at Alverthorpe Park.

Enjoying snow cones at the park with Chris and Carolyn W's kids

A visit from Uncle Jim and Aunt Ann. (Uncle Jim runs a 7 minute mile!)

Ben, in Uncle Jim's convertible. He loved it!

Ace and Daddy and the life size Thomas. The buddies were so excited!

The buddies, checking out the big Amish guy.

Ben and Lindsay, sharing a swing ride.

A Trip Back in Time - The Strasburg Railroad

The Strasburg Rail Road, located in the heart of Penn- sylvania Dutch Country, is a historical steam locomotive tourist railroad. It is considered the oldest railroad company operating in the United States under its original charter, dated June 9, 1832. The trains take visitors on a 45- minute journey past breath- taking scenery and real working Amish farms. Passengers ride in beautifully restored, authentic passenger cars as they are pulled by a huge, coal-burning steam locomotive.

The buddies could barely contain their excitement when we arrived and they caught sight of the train. Huge smiles appeared on their faces and both shouted "choo-choo!" and "woo-woo!". We missed the first train by a few minutes, but our dis- appointment didn't last long since the next ride arrived shortly after.

During the ride, our conductor filled us in on the train's history and Amish customs. We viewed the beautiful farmland and the simple lives these hard- working and faithful people lead. I can't say that I could give up the con- veniences of our modern world, but I am envious of the beauty that surrounds them. Between the antique train and the lovely scenery, it truly felt like a trip back in time.

Fun at Knoebels Amusement Park

Granddad and Lindsay treated us to a fun day at Knoebels, America's Largest Free Admission Park. The park, nestled in the hills and forests of central Penn- sylvania, got it's start as a "tally-ho" (a hayride with a destination) around the turn of the last century. The Knoebel family added a pool in 1926 and began adding rides in the early 1940's. Check out the park's interesting history, if you have some time.

It goes without saying that the buddies had a blast. Knoebels has a huge Kiddie section, with plenty of buddy- friendly rides.
Ace and Ben's favorites were the rocket ships with guns that made "real" laser shooting noises, the train (of course!), and the merry - go - round. Some of the rides went really fast but they never seemed to get scared. I think we might have two amusement park junkies on our hands in the future.

Steve and Lindsay enjoyed riding a few roller coasters and the log flume. After a long day of rides and snacks, we headed back to Granddad's house to rest up for the next day's adventures.

K-Family July Fourth Party

Steve's Uncle Walt and Aunt Michelle threw their annual July 4th party during our trip and we were able to join the family for a fun day on the lawn of their Pottstown home. Ace and Ben enjoyed the many kiddie activities, including Foosball, a slip n slide, and lots of outdoor toys.

Ben quickly became reacquainted with Uncle Ben. When he discovered that Uncle Ben shares his blueberry desserts, he didn't leave his side. Ace enjoyed barking at the friendly dog and tossing balls around the front lawn.

There were also lots of activities for the young at heart. Tony, the hypnotist demonstrated his skills but was unable to hypnotise me, probably due to the buddies yells in the background and the busy street in front of the house. As I closed my eyes, all I could think about were the cars racing past and my wild boys (although properly supervised) running around just a few feet away. Steve participated in the fashion relay race (see picture of him with panties and bra) and the Texas Hold 'Em tournament.

It was a great time to catch up with Grandmom and our aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Ocean City, NJ

The buddies enjoyed their second trip to Ocean City, NJ, Me-Mom's favorite family friendly beach. The same cast from our zoo trip joined us at the beach, along with Aunt Kate and Uncle Chris.

The morning rains didn't stop the buddies and their cousins from having a blast. They all dipped their toes in the cool ocean and had a blast running around on the beach. By 1:00, the rain ceased and we were able to play under the shade of the clouds, without getting too hot.

The kids enjoyed playing in the beach pit, dug out by Ace and Ben's daddy. The buddies even helped him haul buckets of water from the shore to fill it. We had five very muddy kids by the end of the day.

After a full day of fun at the shore, we headed to the boardwalk for dinner, shopping, and rides. The buddies loved the tea-cup ride with Aunt Amy and Finn, but Finn thought it spun a little too fast. After all three kids rode the train with Steve, we called it a day and headed back to Me-Mom's house. Ace and Ben hope a trip to the shore becomes an annual tradition during our summer visits.

America's First Zoo

During our PA trip, the buddies jumped at the chance to visit America's First Zoo. Although the zoo was chartered in 1859, it's opening was delayed by the Civil War until July 1st, 1874. This 42 acre zoo is home to 1,300 animals. We were only able to see a fraction of them during our day-trip, but the buddies enjoyed it all. They saw elephants, giraffes, zebras, and hippos for the first time and also enjoyed checking out the primate exhibit and the giant turtles.

Me-Mom, Aunt Amy, Daddy's cousin Rachel, and cousins: Finn, Alex, and Charlotte joined us for a fabulous time. All the kids loved running around and checking out the animals.


After viewing the animals and eating Nathan's hot dogs for lunch, we hit the many fun rides. Ben and I shared a swan paddle boat ride (although I had to do all the paddling). All five kids piled into the caboose of the train ride and went for a spin around the track. The Zoo Balloon was closed (much to Aunt Amy's dismay) due to impending storms and heavy winds, so we'll just have to return on a future trip.

Super Dad

We are back from an 8-day vacation in Pennsylvania. We spent time in seven cities in two different states, took four big field trips, saw countless family members and friends, and made enough memories to last a lifetime. We are exhausted, but it was so much fun.

I'll post pictures and stories of many of our adventures as soon as I emerge beneath the mound of laundry in my bedroom. For now, I'll just share a quick story and brag on my husband. Our flight out of Austin didn't go well and I swore I would move to Pennsylvania just to avoid having to get on our return flight with two 2-year olds. So, Steve sat with both boys on the flights home, allowing me to relax across the aisle.