Austin: Glass bottomed boats

Here's where I found the slug bugs yesterday morning. Kerry let the kids take off school so we could go to Sea World but that didn't pan out for us.
Possible modeling career? Maybe if she didn't growl noooooo all the time!

Since Sea World didn't work out, we headed over to the Texas State Aquarena where we boarded a glass-bottomed boat and took a tour of the San Marcos river and Spring Lake.

Yes, that's my 13 year old nephew with Erkle glasses. He is for real. It seems this a popular look for middle-schoolers these days and since it's the first I don't understand I now know that I'm officially old!

I have to call out camera girl here because she has totally lost interest in taking pictures. I've had to take most of the photos on this trip which is fine because I enjoy it but it worries me. I may have to revoke her "camera girl" magnet that I bought for her.

The boys are so great with Ella and she calls them, they boys. She wakes up and says, "go downstairs and get boys." It's great that they have these visits but sad that they can't grow up around each other. As I'm typing this, Ella is saying, "come on Aidan, we go swimming." They read her bedtime stories every night and watch with interest as I get her ready for bed. They are always sweet and patient with her.

Austin: Swimming with Vampires

Kerry's neighbors went out of town for a few days so we broke into their backyard to go swimming. Shh, don't tell.
Now the little bird hasn't been in a pool since last summer but she sure looked the part.

"Uncle Joey, get me outta here!!!"

After swimming, the boys tried to teach Ella to play hockey.

Later I saw her try to get on one of their motorcycles! I think it's time to go home...

Later that night, Kerry, her friend and I had a hot date with a couple of movie stars.

No, that is not me and my sister fighting over a cardboard vampire.

Those boys fed us too many beers at the Nutty Brown and tried to have their way with us when we got home that night.

Who could say no to that face?

Gossip Girl

Ella calls one of her BFF's Adriana to talk a little smack... "So did you see what so and so had on at the playground the other day? I mean who does she think she is trying to get away with that sundress? I'm just glad her daddy wasn't there to witness."

"Oh shit, mom's here. I gotta go."

Austin: Bunnies & Birds

My sister planted a vegetable garden in her back yard and got a few of those tomato bag things to hang. One day while checking her bag, she was brutally attacked by a momma bird who had laid some eggs. Ever since then they've been anxiously awaiting the arrival of the baby birds so they could stir fry them (revenge is best served cold). It seems these Texans have some odd taste when it comes to food. Well the babies hatched yesterday and they are the size of a thumbnail. It's sad that their mom will only be able to enjoy them a few days before my sister plucks them up and fries them in some oil. Here's Ella and Uncle Joe. They like to coordinate their outfits one day a week. I don't ask why.

Kerry's kids are teaching Ella all sorts of fun things like building pillow forts, shooting rubber band guns and telling fart jokes. What would she do without their guidance?

We pick the boys up and head to the mall to see the Easter Bunny and a movie. Ella is reluctant of the giant bunny at first. I can't imagine why?

But Aidan and Cole step in to save the day and even though they're getting too old for this stuff they are happy to help out with Ella.

The mall pictures blew and were $24.99 per sheet so we'll have to suck it up and head over to Woodfield the day before Easter to get some good ones.

After the bunny, Ella wanted to go chase boys through the mall but I told her she was too young. Maybe next year kid.

The extra kid is Cole's friend. We saw the movie, Rio, which is about a Blue Macaw's adventures. Pretty cute and by the makers of Ice Age. This was Ella's first movie and I was a little nervous she'd get bored but she was mesmerized for the whole hour and a half. As we were walking out she was mumbling something to herself about Blue (the name of the bird) and how he flied. Listening to her analysis of the movie was worth exposing her to TV before the age of 2.

Fun with Dogs

Poor Ziggy didn't know that it wasn't safe to lay by Ella. Ella knows how fun it can be to dress up your pets.

Ziggy wants to know when this golden jerk is going home!

Austin: Day 1 or 2 or whatever...

So I probably shouldn't tell you that Ella stayed up till midnight with no nap our first night. Or that she slept till 10 am the next day. Or that she fell/climbed out of the pack and play in the middle of the night and I found her on the floor. So I won't. We had a lazy morning at the Cavender house and Ella found the doll of her dreams. His name is Edward and he goes by "the vamp." Do you think her evil Aunt Kerry will be able to part with this childish vamp doll so that Kelly, I mean Ella, can take him home with her? Only time will tell. How could she say no to that face?

Ziggy tried to do his morning chore of making the bed while Ella and Aidan goofed off.

Later that afternoon we packed em up and headed back to Founder's Day. Joey and Michael were MIA. Michael was cleaning his boat and Joey was um, cleaning his brain.

Look, Alpacas

That's right, Alpacas.

We stopped by some Christian booth to do some free fishing and score some free prizes. Those Christians are good for something.

Cole is Ella's caretaker. You'll always find him near Ella when she's around. Aidan is usually wandering ahead paying no attention to where his family is. That is until he needs money for a game.

Where's Blake? Oh he's 13 now and he couldn't even wait to walk up to the fest with us let alone hang out with us. Before this photo was taken I saw him waiting in line at the ferris wheel with a group of 5 chicks.

This is where Texas gets a little disturbing. Well that's not really true, Texas gets disturbing way before here but this was especially disturbing...

See that giant, murky, man-made pond? And those fishing poles? Yep, they're real, with real live earthworm bait. Guess what's in there? Catfish, and lots of em. So the point is to catch and release but these poor catfish bastards are caught and released over and over again for the whole weekend. Come on Texas, I thought we were close to Austin! Aren't there a bunch of tree-huggers in Austin?

Fried pickles and ranch sauce. One of the few vegetarian menu choices.

By this point Ella has had it!

So I'm not going to tell you that Ella's diaper was so wet and there was no good place to change it and I was worried about her rash that I just took it off and let her free ball it. What I will tell you is that it was Kerry's idea ;) And yep, that's ice-cream dripping down her chin.

We get home and as we're walking up to the house Ella is chanting, "Michael, Michael." She has always loved him and we can't figure out why. LOL It bothers the shit out of Barbie so we all love it.

Here's Aidan with his spoils. Let's just say the carni-folk knew this kid and his wallet by name.

When I went to wake Ella from her nap, this is where I found her. Oops.