On the Road

Saturday morning bright and early, Brandon headed out the door to take a group of his high school students to the CIY conference in Colorado. I think all of us Texans should take a moment and contemplate the beautiful weather Hot Brandon will be experience this week while we sweat it out in triple digit weather and no rain in sight.

Since the prospect of 8 days at home alone with three children in the mind-numbing heat of Houston summer makes me want to take up drinking, the kids and I decided to hit the road instead.

First stop: To GG's house in Austin Saturday afternoon. My mom flew down to Austin and met us there, so I would have an extra set of hands to help keep the boys from playing Indiana Jones with GG's crystal. I think GG has only very briefly met Harper once before, so it was a real treat for both of them to spend a little time together. Harper, for her part, refrained from vomiting on any of the furniture, which is more than I can say for her behavior when she is at home.

GG doesn't ever look at the camera, but if she did, you could see her sassy new glasses. I hope to have half her style and sassiness when I'm 91.
Saturday night with GG was spent teaching her how to use Facebook, and gentle reminders that it may not be prudent to type and post the very first thing that pops into your head about a person. So a warning to all of my cousins out there: Your grandmother/aunt is on Facebook, and I taught her how to look at all of your pictures. So you may have to explain the one of you with the beer bong and half naked guy. "Remove Tag" is your friend.

No trip to GG's house is complete without sitting in church service with three small children (Harper vomited on the pew before communion), stories about GG's friend's broken toe which she refers to as her "Olena toe", and inquires such as "Did you get my family's black eyebrows?", which apparently are a trait unique to her side of our family, and not to people everywhere with black hair. And no, I did not get her black eyebrows.

Sunday after a yummy lunch of pork roast and Mandy Salad (a story for another time...) which the boys would not TOUCH, we loaded up the van and the kids, my mom and myself headed up to Camp Pappy (aka my parents' house) for a few days. On the way up, we stopped in West, Texas (has anyone actually driven by West without stopping there?) and waited in line behind an entire tour bus of geriatrics for some sausage kolaches. Yes, they were worth it. (And spell check doesn't recognize the word "kolache". You don't know what you're missing, spell check.)

Looking forward to a fun several days filled with free babysitting, endless stacks of People magazines, naps, some shopping, and Mom's calzone.

And I'm sure the kids will have a great week, also.