Summer? Where did you go?

Here are our lovely school age girls ready for the first day back to school. Anna ready for.....HIGH SCHOOL!!! Yikes-o-rama, I said high school.

And our second oldest, ever so ready for 7th grade, goodness me.

Officially our summer is over and though I have kept busy, where did it go? After David injured his left foot, bloggy time was to a minimum. He still did a lot of engineering work, but was at home for a month (worked via computer) and needed quite a bit of help for a while, understandably. I can now thankfully report that after a few scares (infection and mobilitywise) he can bear weight on the foot without crutches or medical boot and his toe is looking closer to normal. Praise the Lord!

We fully intended a low key family vacation (camping in the New Mexico mountains, near where my David grew up) this year, but canceled at the last minute as we found out that Anna's summer was shortened by her new volleyball schedule. She is an involved high schooler, whose school schedule will now take over the whole of August for the next few years.

Here is a brief (I will try) recap of our summer's doings:

How much wet family fun can you have for $35?

Well my week-before-school-was-out-purchase of this water slide (not truly made for bigger than 10 year olds) was worth it even though we only got 3 uses out of it before some mondo super jumps from the kiddos over the height and weight limit broke its seams and caused some holes I could not repair.  A couple of weekends we had my sister's kids out to also test it's limits....good clean fun was had by all.

Sophia, and her cousins, Sam and Katie enjoy some cool treats

 But I was thankful as it made for some close to home cheap family fun (I would have spent more on this gang in three trips at our local water park). And I got to hang out with my mom and mom-in-law. I am blessed with these two loving ladies in my life...thus we casually celebrated Memorial Day weekend.

PAR-TAY!!!! Sara turned 12 in May but in order to have our group of family and friends at the right time PLUS a huge water slide, we partied in June.

Where's the party people?

Oh, here's the party!

Tho' we did a lot pre-party planning, it is funny how my shindigs still turn in to a haphazard affair. No pretty picture Martha Stewart-y results for me, no way. But bellies were fed, treats were abundant, guests hung out comfortably, fun was had and above all, Sara was thoroughly pleased with the day and my sand castle cake came out close enough to picture pretty and was quickly devoured.

Sara in some kinda birthday getup with the cake

Fourth of July weekend. We traveled to the Texas coast with Lou (David's mom) to celebrate with extended family from David side. Now talk about hot. Yes, I have lived in Texas all my life but humidity plus heat are still tough to deal with. Sorry for the whining...anyway, David hobbled around, show and telling with his injury, Sophia and I swam, we ate and ate and ate, and I chatted up some delightful new family acquaintances.

Sophia meets a talkative new cousin, Addison..note David in the background telling his toe tale to Uncle Bob

We left the next day and day tripped it in San Antonio (one of my fave Texas cities). The riverwalk is typically a must visit on my list, but day two of travel for David was proving difficult, so we walked through the Spanish Governor's Palace preserved in downtown SA (hearkens back to the 1700s).

Sophia's conquistador stance

Lou and Sophia take in the pretty courtyard

David camps out near the well

We chilled at our hotel, watching the fireworks in air conditioning from our 20th floor window. The next morning we headed back home but not before David treated me, Sophia and we introduced Lou to our favorite SA breakfast/brunch spot. The Guenther House. The former mansion home to the Pioneer Flour Mills family from the 1860s.  It now houses a charming and friendly breakfast/lunch spot on the river.

I could only finish off one of those monster-sized, yet delicious biscuits

Here's my biscuit and sausage breakfast, and Lou decided on a taste testing of the generous servings of homemade pastries.

Yums! I can't recommend this place enough if you ever have a hankering for a tasty brunch near downtown SA.

For most of July we kept to home (after the holiday weekend David's toe flared up for a couple of weeks during which he visited about 5 different specialists).

Anna turned 14! in July and we promised her the guest room as her OWN room. Her gift was outfitting her space with some new items and I thought that called for a trip to IKEA.

No, Waco is not so hip, we traveled to Round Rock, TX

I enjoy this place far too much. But I am pleased to say our most typically indecisive of kids found all that she needed to make the space her own......
like this, for reading contendedly...

and this lovely print...

and this fun groovy colorful shag rug.

All displaying her sweetly feminine taste.

Last weekend my sister and I had my MIL (mom in law), our families, my aunt, cousins and their kids (all from out of town) over to my house to celebrate my mom's 6? birthday.

As I do, I was scattered here there and everywhere, and only took a couple of not great photos of some great ladies. My mom is doing well but of course she still misses Pete as we all do. There was so much laughter this evening though, as my mom is at such ease with her sister and family all around.

My mom and aunt Beta, kids in background playing Wii

Now here we are staring a busy school fall schedule in the face and I want a vacation. But I will hold out hope for some type of family fun trip in the spring, as we are about to get more bustling on the ranch and I am sure Christmas will be around the corner soon enough. I hope to be a better bloggy friend and catch up with anyone that stops by for a chat. I will get the coffee on....talk to you later.

IN CHRIST,