Beach

We introduced Sadie to the beach yesterday.   Kevin had been really wanting to take a trip to the beach all summer and this weekend was our best shot.   The weather was not the best - threatening rain and was really rainy in town - but we went anyway.    The surf was rough and it go so windy we had to take our pop-up down, but we still had a good time. 

Sadie had to be coaxed out of the Jeep, but once she was out she had a good time.  She loved rolling in the sand and chasing birds.  She also found plenty of gross things (crab shells we think (hope)) to chew on.   She got into the water once but was scared of the waves.....so we now have 2 dogs who are not big fans of water.

She did great on the car ride -- its her furthest trip yet - so that was a win in itself.  We have tried to take Smokey places but he is so anxious in the car its better for all of us if he just stays home.

Kevin did his research and found us a new cooler (Orca) -- it was cheaper and could get to us faster if he got the pink one!  So we now own a bright pink cooler.  It worked really well, though we didn't realize Sadie would chew on it (of course, she chews everything) so we already need to get a new latch for it since we left it out at our house to dry out.....I really hope she outgrows the chewing.....

I know we just got back from a vacation ,but a day away was already welcome.  Work re-entry has been rough and we've been having some family health issues to contend with since we returned.

France

We took our long awaited trip!  By the time it got here I was so happy to finally not need to plan, and just do it..we knew stuff would go wrong but it was part of the adventure.

We spent 10 days in France, and split our time between Paris, Verdun and Bayeux. 

I am so glad I didn't talk Kevin out of any of our destinations, while it was a lot of travel in between the cities, each were really different and since we'd partly chosen France for the historian perspective we really needed to hit all three.   I know it will be years before we go overseas again, but I'm already contemplating ways to incorporate Verdun into a future trip since we were there only 1 night we know there is a lot to see and do.

I want to do a recap, both for myself and for if friends want ideas of what we did, I just haven't made the time.....I did put our photos together -- that was my goal before heading back to work.

We had an amazing time, and have stories and memories for years to come.

This weekend we get to give our niece and nephew their gifts, we missed both of their birthdays so promised to bring them something back...and they are really the only ones we shopped for!

I keep meaning to write a post, instead..a hybrid list/post:

• I'm living vicariously through our puppy.....I get a taste of what it's like to go through life being really cute...she has literally stopped traffic!
• We saw Hamilton!  and it was even better than I'd thought it could be.  I'd given up hope of seeing it, but as we're getting ready for bed we get a call from K's cousin saying he had tickets he couldn't use for the next night, did we want to buy them?  K was like, we can think on it and let him know - and I was like, call him back now..we want them!    It made for a whirlwind few days (I was also about to head out of town), but so worth it!    My husband is not big on musicals, but one on history is right up his alley -- he even references the musical in his class!
• We are getting excited for a long awaited trip!

Washington on the Brazos

Kevin sponsors a Historical Society at his college, and they have started doing field trips to historic sites in the area.    I wasn't able to join them for their trip to the Battleship, but was able to join them for the trip this weekend to Washington on the Brazos.   I'm not sure how, as a native Texan, I've never made the trip before, but neither of us had!  

I didn't even realize the significance of the site -- its where the Declaration of Independence for Texas (from Mexico) was written and signed.   We were able to see a reconstruction of the building where it happened -- and we were even there the time of year that it had happened.  I am glad the temperature wasn't in the 30s when we were there like it was in 1836.  The town is gone, but we were able to walk the site and see where the ferry crossing (across the Brazos River) was -- the drawings of the ferry look like not much more than a flat bottom boat, a rope and a pulley.
  

We also saw the house where the last President of Texas lived - smaller and more rustic than you'd expect for a president!   Surrounding the house we were able to see living history exhibits with people to explain and answer questions - seeing cooking and plowing how they were done at that time was humbling..I didn't get to see it demonstrated, but just the tools for laundry on display make me want to give my washer and dryer a big hug!

It was also quite a treat to get to meet some of Kevin's students and really see him in his element.  We toured the site and then all had lunch together in Navasota before going into our separate cars to head home.

Spring Breakin'

Kevin is on spring break (and NOT at a conference like last year so he can actually get some R&R).  I took the week off from work so we could both be off (loving no alarm clock!) and we did a quick beach trip.   It was our first time to Crystal Beach and we loved it!

Kevin found a great rental beach house, close to the water and close to places to eat - I wanted a no cook vacation and we did it, we had breakfasts at the beach house and a picnic lunch on the beach but had dinner out both days,.

It was definitely a first for me to be at the beach and need a jacket - I was torn between stay in the shade to prevent sunburn and get in the sun to warm up!    Even chilly it was great to be on the sand and near the water, very relaxing...and we'd boarded the dogs so I got to sleep in a little, my furry alarm clock wakes me at 7 never fail at home...