around here

 

these two monkeys

are having a great summer

 

 

of course they are eating lots

playing in the dirt and catching bugs all the time

their current fascination is little frogs they catch while out on the lake at camp

and bring home

oh lovely

 

we've been super happy with the weeks they've been to camp peniel

the drive is killing our gas budget

but no doubt their time there is spent learning more about God

it is apparent they are loved and cared for well

and kept super busy exploring, riding, swimming, playing, singing

a perfect day for these guys

 

they made me take pictures too

I know I look thrilled!

 

 

 

oops, cut off mom's head in that one ;)

 

 

 

my oh my these boys are getting so tall

definitely lots of growing going on around here

 

 

 

they LOVE their yearbooks from school

and hanging out on the dog beds :)

when they get home from camp there is lots of just hanging out going on around here

 

mocha and coach ran off last Saturday morning

for an early morning deer chasing adventure

 

thankfully it ends well

but we totally spent our entire weekend looking for them

 

 Coach came home Saturday afternoon

and then our search was for just her

we made flyers

posted them all over, handed them out

talked to everyone we could in the neighborhood

posted her picture on facebook

lost dogs of texas website

faxed a flyer to all the area vet offices

called animal control in two counties

put an ad in the Austin newspaper

we were desperate to find her

 

by Monday evening we finally gave up looking in our neighborhood 

we felt confident she was NOT in Briarcliff

the breeders were certain she had been picked up/stolen

we kept feeling like it just couldn't be so that someone who found her with her collar and tags would not call us

who steals someones dog?

 

thankfully no one stole this sweet girl

she was found Tuesday afternoon at 3pm walking down the middle of the road

out in the country

about 6 miles away from our house

 

I've spoken to the two ladies who simultaneously stopped for her on the road again this morning

and they knew she was special

and needed to find her home

and praise god would not let her away without calling the number on her tag

 

 

 

 

we can't stop thanking Jesus

she was found

alive and well

other than being REALLY thirsty

her paws are raw in a few places

but she is just fine

so proud of her for being such a survivor

 

around here

we are happy!

 

beautiful precious RAIN

we've been blessed with lots of rain this year

lots for a Texas summer, that is

it's needed so much

we are in a bad drought

 

 

I think this day we got about 5 inches in 20 minutes

 

 

the back yard is a lake

 

we got so much rain so fast it had no time to soak in

little ponds like this were standing all around the house

 

 

this much rain mid July is un heard of

the front flower beds were filled to the tip top

 

 

after the rain stopped the deer started moving across our yard

 

mocha saw them right away

 

she whined

and barked

and danced around

 

no doubt if we let her out she would chase them

 

she just wants to sniff and say hi :)

 

football camp

the boys got to go to a 2 day Colt McCoy football camp this summer

this was an introduction to the game for them

they love to watch football, especially LONGHORN football with Dad

but being a player on the field was a new experience

 

 

 

 black out under their eyes? kills me

it helps with the glare from the sun, ya know

they look too tough

 

 

 

 

there they go!

our future football players ;-)



Camping {Inks Lake State Park}

we love camping

we try to go at least once a summer

 

the texas state parks really rock!

lucky us.. the best one yet is about an hour from our house

 

this beautiful sunset was the perfect ending

to a perfect first day at the lake

playing in the water with friends

setting up our tents, cooking dinner over the fire

 

 

 

 

 

the boys filled up water balloons for hours and hours and hours

 

 

 

boys got to take turns taking canoe rides

and fishing with the dads

 

brian and kim

 

alex and cooper spent some time digging around the campsite for crystals during the heat of the day

 

 

sites 250 and 251

best sites right on the water

perfect for two families camping together

 

 

 

 

 

of course we ate well

Friday night we had taco salad in a bag

Saturday morning breakfast tacos

then hot dogs on the grill for late afternoon lunch

then smores and more smores for dinner

Sunday morning kim made bacon and pancakes... yummmmmm

 

 

cooper had no trouble sleeping while camping

we do make it pretty comfortable for camping

air mattress, sheets, pillows, quilt, fans

no sleeping bags or hard ground to sleep on

we're certainly not roughing it :)

 

 

such a peaceful morning

waking up slowly to the birds chirping and the sun rising

 

we certainly found the beauty around us

I made up a scavenger hunt for corbin while he waited his turn to go out on the canoe again

he fell pretty in love with fishing and boating

 

 

 

 

and they are off to catch

conquer, destroy

slay it and bring it home

 

 

(they caught nothin') :(

but made great memories

together

alex drew a nice picture for our friend who loaned us the canoe

 

 

 

great job Alex!

 

 

little Dylan filled up a lot of water balloons too

 

this hungry boy

eating day old cold hot dogs :)

 

 

 

we had a great camping trip with the silverts

we are making this an annual tradition

 

can't wait until next time!