First weeks in Texas

We have been pretty busy exploring the town these past few weeks.  We'll start where we left off on my previous post...Father's Day downtown at Home Slice (pizza).  Like I said, we ate on the back patio.  After we were done Kaleb somehow worked his way onto the ping pong table:)                                                 

Heading back to the car...cool tree!

Since we don't belong to a gym, I've started running outside.  I've never been a fan of this, and now with all these hills around us I dislike it even more...but at least I'm getting some exercise!  Kassidy even joins me 3 days/week for some light jogging and walking:)

Some more cute pics of the baby birds in our back yard.  I haven't seen them the past few days so I guess they either flew off on their own or didn't make it.  I'll hope for the first one.

Bible school was a success!  All 3 kiddos were old enough to attend this year.  Karson especially loved it and already wants to go back again:)

 Slushies on the last day

Karson posing at a nearby park...he loves to make the Longhorn sign

The local library here is wonderful!!!  Lots of activities for the kiddos during the summer like reading and science camps, craft time, ABC's of cooking, Lego party, tween girls activities, etc.  We are pretty much there 5 days/week:)

 There is this huge park downtown called Zilker Park.  It has so many different parts to it!  We spent about 4 hrs there one afternoon while Keith worked.  And we kept busy the whole time!

 Train time!  It's a 15-20 min ride, past the natural spring pool, playground, under the street, along the river, and back.  Well worth the $2!

This is the natural spring pool I was talking about.  We have yet to go there, but hopefully soon!  Apparently it stays the same temp all year round and is so clear.  It even has a diving board.

Across the street in the park is a humongous field where dogs can run leash-free.  We had a picnic lunch then headed to the boulders for some climbing.  Definitely a highlight for the kids:)  We saw about 12 different dogs while there, also.  They were all so friendly:)  Kaleb even tried to play frisbee with one german shepherd...he's a great catcher!

Kaleb, Karson, and Kassidy showing off their super human strength!!!

Dress-up

 Back to the library with the local animal rehab group.   All of the animals they showed us actually live in our area.

3 month old fawn

 Baby skunk, demonstrated how they spray, but luckily can't spray yet.

Opposum

Cottontail rabbit

 

 Squirrel

White winged dove

 Brown fox

 Another park

 

Right down the road from us is the Mansfield Dam.  They have a nice park, too, so we decided to check it out.  Since it's a man made lake, there's not your typical beach area where you can just walk into the water.  And since the lake is so low it makes it even more tricky getting to the water.  After climbing around on these huge rocks along the shoreline forever (ok, it just seemed like forever), we weren't getting any closer to the water.  Finally we spotted a spot where they put boats into the water (although it's closed now due to the low water level).  There we could just walk into the water.  The kids swam around a bit, but we couldn't convince Jack to get in.

 

Just a little further down was a floating dock and deeper water.  Kassidy enjoyed a few jumps here!

 Here we are at the end of the boat launch

 At the dam park...haha I just couldn't help myself:)

 We see lots of road runners around our neighborhood.  This is the first time I've seen them in real life.  Usually I just see them on Looney Tunes.

Craft time

 Tween spa day!

  Homemade hand scrub and then bath salts to take home.

Another park further down the road.  This park has a great trail for biking or scootering that goes all the way around the park and even under the road.  Last time we were there they got with some other kids and make an obstacle course out of it!

 This past weekend we tried out the brand new watermark 20 min down the road.  It opened just 3 weeks ago.  Not everything is completed yet, but they did have enough to do for us for the 7 hrs we were there!!!  Karson was brave enough to try out a body slide and this racing slide:)  Kassidy was super brave to try out the new body slide where you get in the tube and suddenly the floor drops off and you shoot down the slide...no, Keith and I did not try that one.  We were so proud!!!

Well, it's been a fun few weeks here in Texas!  It still feels like I'm on some kind of vacation.  I REALLY miss everyone back home as I know the kids do, too:(  Please stay in touch!