George's Guy Trip

George recently took a guys road trip to my parents cabin in Colorado. They left at 5am and drove all day (stopping along the way to pick up the 5th guy) and ended up playing an inpromtu round of golf that night.

The next day they played the regularly scheduled round of golf at Bear Dance (where I might add that I've played before at a work tournament when I worked at DR Horton in Colorado). As you can see by the pictures the course is beautiful!!

The third day they got up and prepared for what would turn out to be the rafting trip of a lifetime. Their guide and one of the guys fell out of the boat on a class 5 rapid (the highest you can commercially raft) and eventually the rapid (or rather the Big Kahuna before the rapid) knocked their boat over and all the guys swam a class 5 rapid. Having the guys tell the story is way better...but I'm the blogger, not George, so you'll have to do with my version. Sorry if I butcher it! Guys went everywhere, two were stuck under the boat! After brief periods (remember this is is a FAST class 5 rapid) of panic all the guys made it out safely and eventually were all reunited after helping pluck rafters from about 5 other boats out of the water. George said it was just mayhem...rafters, boats, oars were everywhere! I'd like to say that it was me (and the Lord) responsible for their safety as on Saturday morning I woke up saying extra prayers for the guys as my instinct was telling me something was going to happen!! :)

As crazy as that was they were crazier and 4 out of 5 of the guys played another round of golf that afternoon. They came back to the cabin, packed up, slept for 2 hours and got on the road to head back home. I was ever grateful that they were going to be home a little earlier than planned. I know George had a great time and wants to do it again next year. I think it's so important for men to get their "guy" time (just it is for the ladies). We are so thankful to have a group of solid Christian friends here to be around. They challenge us to be better parents, spouses and believers and hopefully we live our lives in a way that would do the same.

The guys at 5am! Yep I was THAT wife who took a photo...figured I was up anyway and I might as well document the trip.

The back of the car loaded up with 4 sets of clubs and bags. The guys and their rafting guide (who had only flipped 2 boats in 14 years--theirs being one of them!)
Beautiful Colorado golf

Gulf Shores - Part 3

On our last full day in Gulf Shores we ATTEMPTED to take family pictures on the beach. Several factors contributed to this not turning out well at all!! :)

{1} The aforementioned GIGANTIC hoop earrings (see my What I Learned on Vacation post)
{2} Changing the plan on Brooke who thought we were only going to go swimming at the pool that afternoon. Photos in a skirt were not part of her plan.
{3} Forgetting that touch up make up would probably be a good idea. (again see my previous post)

Brooke wanted no part of the picture below.

Finally got the girl to smile through the tears

After leaving sunny (and oil free!) Gulf Shores, AL we were welcomed home to Texas with rain and cloudy skies. No time for us to even forget that it was back to reality!

Gulf Shores - Part 2

The last full day we were in Gulf Shores we took the kids to a place called, The Track. We noticed it on our way into town and I thought it would be a good place for the kids and for the adults. They had a great section for little ones like ours and two adult go-cart tracks which we could take the kids on. They had a great time (and I had fun too!). It started to rain just as we were leaving and we had lunch at LuLu's (owned by Jimmy Buffet's sister). It was a fun atmosphere and I would have loved to take pictures there but it rained like crazy once we were seated. I guess the memories will all be in my head!

Hallie really enjoyed herself on this swing -- imagine this pose with tongue out the whole time! :)

Hudson with his new obsession.

My Momo played a little golf too! :)

George & Brooke attacked Uncle Ryan on the bumper boats!

I promise - she had fun eventually...

Gulf Shores, AL ~ Part ONE

Day One at the beach... Hudson was NOT a fan!

Neither was Brooke!

Hallie steered clear of the water and enjoyed the building in the sand.

Hudson found the sand was a safe place to be too.

The rare 'caught on camera' smile!!

We went the second night to eat at the Original Oyster House along with EVERYONE ELSE in Gulf Shores. When we found out it was 30 minutes to wait just to get a pager we ventured on to find something new. This place had GREAT shrimp and *maybe* the best hushpuppies I've ever had. There was no wait at all.

Day TWO: Mommy had the magic touch to get Brooke into the water happily

Hallie too!

Brooke put her swim lessons to the test and after a while she was like a little fish all over the pool with her floaties. She had a great time!

We built this Mickey Mouse

The kids sitting in our Mickey Mouse sandcastle

Even the beach has a time-out spot!!! :)

I just love this picture... I think it will be printed in black & white and framed somewhere in our house. She just looks like she hasn't a care in the world, doesn't she?

Like a little model posing on the beach.

Attempt one at a family shot on the beach...more to come.

Hallie had fun running to and from the water.

Sweet Hallie.

Imagine him saying at this point "I DID IT!!!!" every time he'd run to the water stick his hands in the wave and run back yelling "I DID IT!!"