Day 6 - Lots of Museums

I had an early morning zoom call so I got up early and headed to the lobby to get my work done.  Once the Zoom call was finished, I went back to the room but ended up on our balcony to finish my quiet time.  It was a great view. 

We grabbed breakfast from the buffet in the hotel lobby and then headed out for the day.  We have selected three museums to visit.  The first, at Tyler's request, is a railroad museum.  The tour started in the lobby / gift shop, set up to look like an old time train depot with white statues on display wearing clothes from the 20s-30s. Then we headed into a building of train displays and models and watched a documentary on the Freedom Train that toured the US for the bicentennial.  Then it was outdoors to check out the real trains with various cars - sleeper, mail, kitchen, dining, etc.  Tyler was so excited!

 

Next, we headed to the Ocean Star Offshore Drilling Rig and Museum.  When we arrived, they were closed for a private event, so we headed to lunch at Chick-Fil-A to kill some time.

When we returned, we toured three levels including the outdoor platform to learn more about the oil industry and drilling itself.  It was very interesting.

A funny note, on the final floor and end of the tour, is a safety zone and one exhibit highlights the different alarms and what they mean on an oil rig.  My sweet girl thought it hilarious to pretend to curse and then use the sirens to BLEEP out the words.  We could hear her all over the exhibit floor (luckily we were alone). She had such a good time at that one simple exhibit - literally made her day!

At this point, we decided to head back to the room for a quick rest.  The next museum is the Galveston Naval Museum, which includes touring a battleship and submarine.  Sammy decided she could sit this one out, so she and I stayed at the hotel while the guys headed out.

Sammy and I relaxed in our room a while.  She worked on a LEGO set while I finished my Bible study.  Then we put on our suits and headed out to by the ocean.  We walked the beach, and sat on the piers watching one particularly skilled bird dive for fish.  We had a great conversation and it was just what we needed to wrap up the day.

The boys thoroughly enjoyed their time at the Naval Museum and appreciated the uncrowded access and lowkey atmosphere.

Speaking of battleships, one of our past times on this trip has been to play board games together on our phones, primarily Battleship.  Ironically, Sammy has honed in her skills and now consistantly spanks all the rest of us every time she plays.  Its equal parts infuriating and laughable to us 80s kids who grew up playing the game thinking we were pretty good.

On their way back to the hotel, they picked up Papa's Pizza, rated best pizza on the island for 8 years straight!  Tyler had to work at 6:00 pm tonight so the kids enjoyed a meal in the hotel while Scott and I headed out on a date night.  We ate at Landry's Steak and Seafood, just 0.3 miles down the road from the hotel.  It was a great meal.  Afterwards we took a drive to check out the southern end of the island and then grabbed a coffee on the way home.  

Sammy was awaiting our return and met us at the door with her swimsuit on!  We quick got changed and headed down to the hottub.  It was a great and relaxing end to the night.

After showers, Sammy joined us in our room to snuggle up and read me more of her latest novel.  By the time we finished, Scott was done in the shower and Tyler wrapped up work and came over as well.

Then we all hung out on our bed and talked, teased and laughed together.  It'll probably last as my best memory of the entire trip.  It was getting late and I was starting to drift off so we made a plan for morning and sent the kids back to their rooms.  Good night Galveston, its been fun!

Day 26 - Family Fun

Sammy woke up and said she was feeling better so we decided to give church a try.  As we ate breakfast, she kept laying her head down to rest so I wasn’t completely sure, but she was eager to go so off we went.

It was Scott’s first time visiting Beach Church.  It was another good service although this week had a guest speaker from one of their mission organizations.  It was a great service and was fun to hear about another cool ministry.

After church we swung in for a Starbucks and then headed home for lunch and our our typical “rest time”.  Sammy was back in her bed and the rest of us agreed to pop in and spend time with her throughout the day to keep her from getting so lonely.

There was time watching TV, time on the balcony, ipad games, etc.  Then mid-afternoon we all decided to play cards so it was Dos, Uno, Dirty Uno and LCR.  I love that the kids are old enough to play games with us!  We have so much fun together.

After games, it was back to “resting”. We had supper and then Sammy and I made a cake.  It was a new recipe with a chocolate poke cake drizzled with a peanut butter syrup.  It needed to cool so we decided to make a trip to the hot tub.  

Someone had hit the emergency stop switch so the water wasn’t heating... the water was a little cool but not uncomfortable.  About the time it started warming up, it started to sprinkle so we all headed back upstairs.  

I finished the cake while everyone took showers.  Then Scott organized his to do list and I did some Christmas shopping on line while the kids watched Paddington.

Then it was time for cake!  Yum!  This recipe is a keeper!

After the movie finished, we all headed to bed.  It was a great day for sure.  So thankful that Sammy seems to be feeling better and that we have this beautiful space to call our own.

Day 22 - The Shortest Day So Far...

So, apparently when you let the kids stay up late (almost 1:00 am) they sleep in a little longer.  Hence today flew by.

Unfortunately though I woke up at 7:00 with a bad neck and head ache.  Watched TV for a few hours and then fell back asleep from 9-10.  Woke up with Sammy snuggling me in bed!  I got some food and some Advil and felt better in no time.

Once everyone got up and moving, we finally had breakfast at 11:30 am.  Then did Bible and Tyler's therapy and had a snack around 2:00 pm while we watched Little House on the Prairie.

It was a cool, gray and windy day so we all stayed in comfy clothes and just hung out.  Sammy was super patient while waiting to go in the hot tub and after all that time, Tyler decided not to go... so I went instead.  We weren't there long because the wind kept blowing leaves in and she was getting frustrated trying to keep the water clear.  But regardless it still was fun to be in the water on such a cool day.

Afterwards Sammy jumped in the bath, while I ran out to grab a few groceries.  When I got home, Tyler joined me in the kitchen and we prepared a healthy and very tasty meal!  We ate around 6:00 pm then jumped back into school and had it all wrapped up by 8:30 pm.

Since we had all enjoyed playing Nintendo last night, we decided on a rematch.  Afterwards Tyler had a bit of homework to finish up so he and I wrapped that up.  He only has 4 days left of the computer-based work so we are literally counting down!

And no matter how long it takes, Coco is always close to show her support.

Kids headed to bed to watch a little TV before lights out and gave me just enough time to talk with Scott.  Only two more sleeps til he joins us again!  We all cannot wait!

Day 10 - The End in Sight

Scott was up last night with sinus pressure... thankfully the first time since we’ve arrived.  So I tried to do one last clean up this morning and hit the floors one more time.  Its amazing home much dust and debris moves around with the cardboard and drywall dust from construction.

We did a quick breakfast before Uncle Roger and Aunt Gretchen arrived about 10:00 am.  We spent some time getting caught up and showing Uncle Roger the spaces and then relented to Sammy’s requests to get outside.  We took a long walk on the beach, heading south and made it all the way to the inlet.

When we got back to the condo, Steve and Melissa announced they were finished.  I cannot believe it!  Scott sat down to discuss the final numbers with them so the Ademas, kids and I headed out to give them some privacy and grabbed some lunch at the hotel.

Thankfully the conversation didn’t last long and Scott was able to join us for the meal.

After we made it back, we all took a little rest time.  Its the first time I’ve seen Scott sit down in a comfortable chair since we arrived. Even Coco found a spot to relax.

We made cookies and Cabbage and Sausage for dinner and after eating decided to play at the pool (Uncle Roger and kids) and rest in the hot tub (Aunt Gretchen, Scott and I).  We were home again just after 9:00 pm so after showers, called it a day!

Steve and Melissa are mostly wrapped up now.  Its been fun getting to know them better this last week and we’re going to miss them.  But I am so thankful that the work is done!  Scott willl have a few projects that he’ll finish during his next visit but the condo is ready!

It was a fabulous day!  The first day that Scott had some down time and the first inklings that we are on vacation.  I’m so thankful for Scott and his skill set and perseverance.  What an incredible job he’s done finishing this condo!  I cannot wait to make even more memories here.  <3

Rest and Rain - Day 13

Today we planned an easy and relaxing morning.  We knew that Roger and Dean would be leaving this morning and wanted to be available to say good-bye when they were ready.  So, there was a lot of snuggling, the Disney channel, laundry and a bit of hide-and-seek.  It was wonderful... in a very different way!

We said our good-byes around 11:00 am and then headed down to the pool and hot tub.  Today is much cooler than its been so far this week.  Hurricane Joaquin is in the Caribbean and there is a low pressure system by Florida sending a lot of rain and clouds our way.  The forecast says we are expecting 5-7" rain fall by Sunday!  Grandma stayed in her comfy clothes but brought her book down to enjoy.  Mom spent as much time in the hot tub as she could.  

After that we headed upstairs for lunch... broccoli ham ring.  We decided to head out and run some errands this afternoon.  A trip to the beachwear store, the grocery store, then over to Crumb Buns for some dessert for later.  While we were out, our route brought us right past the bowling alley from yesterday so we stopped in to look for Elsa's shoe (see yesterday's post).  I didn't want to get Sammy's hopes up, so I had the kids stay in the car with Bev. 

I walked in and scoped out our tables from dinner.  Then I went to our bowling lanes which happened to be filled with 6 business men.  I explained and they graciously helped me look under the couches and in the cushions saying "we get it... we all have kids too!"  Unfortunately the search didn't turn up anything.  So, I headed out to the parking lot to have one more look around.  As I stepped out the door, I shared a quick moment with God knowing that although that shoe is small and insignificant, it matters to Sammy (a lot) and she matters to Him (so much more).  No kidding, I finished my prayer and looked down to see a perfect blue high heel shoe perfect for Sammy's Elsa doll... I had found it!  Thank you God.

I climbed in the back seat of the van to explain what had happened to Sammy.  She was excited to have her shoe back!  And we took the time to reflect on how good God is to us!

We let each kid rent a movie tonight and headed home.  Grandma did Bible with the kids again... they all seem to enjoy it!  Then we worked on supper and got started on the movies.  Tyler picked a new movie about two wolves "Alpha and Omega" and Sammy picked "Home" since Grandma hadn't seen it yet.

After we finished, we decided to head down to take a quick dip in the hot tub... I mean, really, who cares if its raining???  Both kids enjoyed filling their swim shirts up with air and floating around the tub.  It was lots of fun.

It was a nice evening... everyone hung out in comfy clothes and just relaxed.  Sammy even let me braid her hair.  I guess sometimes a rainy day on vacation is JUST what you need!

(don't look too closely at the braid... its bumpy.  But hey, its not everyday she lets me do her hair and I wasn't gonna risk missing out completely by going to get a comb or brush)

Some More Golf and Swimming - Day 16

It was super windy overnight so Katie and I both had a hard time falling asleep as the patio furniture banged around against the windows or the railing.  So a coffee was definitely in order this morning.  We all walked over to the Embassy lobby to grab a Starbucks and chocolate milk.  When we got home, I whipped up eggs, bacon and toast for breakfast.

Next we headed out for mini-golf, because, apparently we haven't played enough yet this trip!  So we ventured north to find "that one course with the dinosaurs"... Yup, I knew just the one.  So we played a round of golf with the dinosaurs...  Lucky Miss Katie shot the only hole-in-one!

After a quick stop at Crumb Buns, we set out to find a Chick-Fil-A for lunch... two stops and 21 miles later, we found it!  The chocolate shake alone was totally worth it.  After lunch we stopped by the Tanger Outlet Mall to do some shopping.

Then it was home for another afternoon on the beach.  The waves were even bigger today!  I couldn't even take the kids out as far as yesterday, as the waves there were over my head.  So we stayed in the shallower waters and fought the side currents.  It was so much fun but quite a work out!

Of course, we played on the beach for a little while... running, kicking, throwing, you know the drill!

Then it was the usual pool / hot tub visit.  We ran into the same group of people in the hot tub that we met yesterday and the kids remembered that one of the men was celebrating his 60th birthday today.  So, of course Sammy decided to sing "Happy Birthday"... in a hot tub... to a stranger... and the entire group joined in.  It was actually really sweet!

After showers, we decided to get our schoolwork done for the day and eat a quick meal.  We are trying to use up groceries before we head home, so the meals are getting less impressive.  Katie swears she doesn't mind though!

As the sun started to set, we headed over to the Apache Pier for a walk.  Of course there was lots of fun along the way.

We grabbed some ice cream for the walk back and then watched movies before bed.

It was a fabulous day.  We've heard that the weather at home was miserable... rainy and unseasonably cold.  It made us appreciate our weather a little more knowing that we will be returning to it very soon.  The kids are definitely thinking more and more about home and asking about the time left... it won't be long now.

What We've Been Waiting For - Day 12

As I woke up, I peaked open my eyes and immediately knew that today was different... the SUN was shining!  So I slipped out of bed and woke up the kids so we could take a walk.  Sammy was ready to go, but Tyler wanted to stay in bed a little while longer.  So off we went... heading to the main lobby for a coffee!  We came back just in time for the balcony inspection.

We had breakfast and watched a few TV shows, then went to work on our school work.  We finished around 11:30 so we decided to eat a quick lunch before heading out to the beach.

Yup, another healthy lunch... today my picky eaters literally cheered as they ran to the table.  We added mango, peach, apple and watermelon to the menu.  The kids did so well!  Again, I'm thrilled.

Before lunch, Sammy and Tyler both prayed to bless our food.  Sammy's prayer started with "Dear God, I love you!"  Wow, my heart skipped a beat.  I'm so glad both my kids love Jesus.  Its so fun to watch them learn and grow closer to Him each day.

We couldn't wait to head out to the beach!  We found our chairs and umbrella and settled in.  We played in the waves and in the sand.  Gretchen even joined us for a while.

Next we headed to the pool for a refresher and then the hot tub for a warm up.  We even made two new friends.

Then it was time to head home.  Once we had cleaned up, Tyler and I headed to Outback to pick up supper and then we enjoyed a quiet evening.

I spent a bit of time on the balcony as darkness fell and saw two gray fox run out from the dune in front of the condo and run along the fence that separates our resort from a campground next door.  It was quite a surprise but what luck to see it.

Rain, Rain, Go Away - Day 11

Well, it was not how we hoped to kick off our week with Miss Katie... but we made the most of a very rainy gray day!

My morning started off with a snuggle from this sweetheart... no words can tell you how full my heart was as she quietly padded out into the living room without a word, climbed up on my lap and gave me a full body hug.  (ignore the mess that is leftover makeup on my face)

We started off with a drive out for breakfast... coffee and donuts.  And made our weekly visit to Crumb Buns (Mmm).  Then we came back and did our school work.  By the time we finished, it was almost 11:30 so we thought it was best to make lunch before we made any further plans.

So I tried something new... something, that worked really well last year on a smaller scale.

 Yup, that's a veggie, meat, fruit plate.  We passed it around and asked each kiddo to select (and eat) three veggies, fruits, and meats.  And my incredibly picky kids... they weren't sold.  But they did it and they ate a VERY healthy lunch.  This was one happy Mama!

After lunch, the rain continued so we decided to run to the outlet mall to pick up a few things.  We picked Tyler up a pair of shoes, me some slippers and then headed to the grocery store for MORE fruits and veggies.

We had a quiet evening with tacos for supper.  Then hit the hot tub for a little while once it was dark... and as it does, some silliness ensued!

The kids headed to bed.  Then, Katie and I enjoyed a nice treat from Crumb Buns (Mmm) while we watched the premier of Castle.