Happy Birthday Kimberly

 Today is Kimberly's birthday. 

 We have an old Tobler tradition of taking turns telling the birthday person why we love them...usually while hugging them and sitting on their lap...which can be a bit painful for the poor birthday person.

But with the family scattered across the country it's hard to carry on our birthday tradition...especially the sitting on the lap part.

But there are so many things I love and admire about Kimberly...

She is an amazing conversationalist...she has a talent for asking questions, getting people to talking about themselves and then being sincerely interested in what they are saying.   It is so fun/interesting to watch her work her magic.

She is fit!  She runs (usually running at least one marathon a year), works out and eats very healthy.  There very little sugar in her diet!  And in order to exercise with her little family she will get up crazy early and get her run in while the kids are still asleep .   Now that takes discipline.

She loves to learn and read.  She has a law degree.  Went back to school for a tax degree and now she's studying to pass the NC bar. She's usually reading a book.   If you look at a list of books that a "well-read" person should read...she's read most of them.   Yeah...she's smart.

She's a good mom!  Her kids know she loves them.   I love to see them all snuggled on a bed or in front of the fireplace and she is reading to them.    She works with them on their homework and chauffeurs them to sports, gymnastics and piano. And they play together.  But she also makes them "tow the mark" ...she's raising good kids.   

And on top of that...she's beautiful.   Lucky Kyle.
Happy Birthday Kimberly.

We love you. 
Mom and Dad T. 

I must be dreaming

Going sailing has always been on my bucket list.  Now being conservative and realistic, just to sail on a little two-man scout camp boat would have met that requirement.

Last fall I was with Chad little family, we were having a picnic at a little park in their "Dream" neighborhood watching the boats come in for the evening past Kemah Broadwalk.     I especially watched the big sailboats and the people lounging around on the decks.  That was would be so fun...but that's how the other richer half lives...something I could only wonder and dream about.

Then   at the girl's school Fall carnival, the school staff  auctioned off different goods and services as a fund raiser for the school.   One of the teachers was offering a sailboat cruise.    Chad and Janet made sure they won it!

I'm so happy they waited for the weather to warm up and that they timed it for when I was there (Grampa Karl was suppose to be too).

Finding our way to the right dock

 Heading out to sea.

Our little crew

 The pictures might look like we had the boat on our own...not so, Orlando, Sylvia and (Sylvia's cousin) were really manning the boat. 

 Orlando (funny guy...as in quick witted) put Chad to work hoisting the sail.

 

 Just enjoying the good life.

 

 Janet looking like she belongs on a sailboat.

Violet was loving it too,  

even though at home she was sure she didn't want to go. 

Little Lucia preferred being down in the cabin laying on the couch. 

 We thought she'd fall asleep...but she never did.

 

Janet looking beautiful with her man.

 Chad's lounging around was short lived.

They soon put him to work steering the vessel

 I think he liked it.

Then he got a little help from a little helper.

 Interesting tidbit...everyone on the boat spoke Spanish, including the kids, but me.
Spanish was Orlando and Sylvia first language, Chad's entire family is fluent. I can say Hola,
In fact Sylvia (she's a teacher at Violet's school)  raved about Violet perfect Spanish and how easily she can transitions and translates between the two languages.  But everyone was gracious enough to speak English for my benefit..except for an occasion boating instruction.

Orlando told a hilarious story about a time they were at a restaurant and they  were commenting (making fun of)  in Spanish this white guy's toupee who was sitting at a near by table.  (instead of combing it, he probably feeds it, etc).  After the meal the guy came over and introduced himself in perfect Spanish.    They said they learned their lesson...never again do they indulge in private Spanish conversation in an English speaking crowd.

 Way too soon our three hour cruise was over and it was time to head back to land.

 

Now it was my chance to lounge on the bow of a 36 foot sailboat and wave to the people lining the Kemah boardwalk and having a picnic at the park.

It was an amazing adventure.  Thank you Orlando and Sylvia.  Thank you Chad and Janet.
And at next year's Fall Carnival could you make sure you bid on Orlando and Sylvia's sailboat cruise.

Brazos Bend State Park

 Friday Grampa Karl was coming and everyone was so excited.  We had a fun weekend planned.  His flight was a red eye scheduled for a 12:30 am departure and arriving at 5:30 am in Houston.  Chad was going to pick him up.  Now with the 2 hour difference between Vegas and Houston, midnight in Vegas is really late (or really early) in Houston and the last thing I remember is a text saying he was at the airport and his flight was delayed.  The next thing I was aware of was Chad standing by my bed showing me a text on his phone.  Flight CANCELLED!!! Thank you Spirit airlines.  We tried to figure out other flights to get  Grampa Karl to Houston but nothing worked.  No Grampa this trip.   We were all so disappointed...But the fun must go on with or without Grampa Karl. 

One thing I really appreciate and admire about Chad is that when it comes to family fun nothing is too much work or too inconvenient.  He has the time, energy and engineering skill to make it happen...even when he's worked all day and is exhausted. So loading up five bike on a minivan and driving an hour for a bike ride is worth it.

So he did and we went to Brazos Bend State Park. An amazing network of  trails..and water filled with alligators.

So off we rode 3 adult, 2 beginner bikers and Ben in a bike seat.

 Minute in the the ride we came to short but kind of steep downhill.

Moments before the crash.

Little Lucia passed me just as we came to the hill.  I kept saying  "Lucia use your brakes" as she was gaining speed and going too fast. As her little legs flew off the  pedals I realized she didn't know how to use her brakes.  Her front tire must must have hit a rock or a rut and her handle bar suddenly twisted to one side and she flew off right on her head/face.  It was scary to see.  I tossed my bike and ran up.  Janet saw it happen right to the side of her.  She just about tossed her bike in a bush but then she remember she had Ben on the back of her bike and had to find a stable place bike lean her bike.

It was unnerving to carefully inspect this poor little creature to figure out where the blood was coming from.

No obvious gashes on her face...teeth seem to be all there (as she's screaming her mouth is wide open)

Injuries seem to be confined to some cuts in her mouth.  

Now what to do?

 Lucia needed some ice for her cut mouth and some love.  And continuing to ride her little bike was out of the question.   Do we cut the bike ride short...before it even got really started? 

Chad decided to go back to the car with Lucia and Ben and sent us on our way.  We took a short little trail around a pond and went back to the car to check on Lucia.   She was doing much better but not ready to hope back on her bike so Chad said he would drive to the interpretive center and  meet us there.  That would give us a nice bike ride.   So off we went again

 

  '

There's a gator in that greenery.

 And another.

 And another.

 And another

 And this one was looking right at us with his mouth open.

We moved on quickly.

  Then there was this one under this deck.  It looks quite a ways down but it wasn't.  This guy's snout was 18 inch under our feet.  That was a bit unnerving.

Interestingly the park info says stay 30 feet away from  the gators.   Okay...but some these guys were just 10 feet off the trail.  What were we to do...turn away and go back?   So we just biked on by...after we snapped a few photos.

 We met Chad at the Interpretive Center (it was closed) 

 and decided to walk to the Observatory.

 This point Lucia was pretty happy.

Can you see them.  There's about five in this photo.

 We spotted a few baby gators along the way.

 

Playing up on top of the observatory.

Heading back.  It's getting late and everyone is hungry.

Pollo Tropical for dinner.

The Many Days of Easter

Friday 

 (No School!!!)

  Janet's gym hosted an Easter egg hunt around their outdoor track.

 I've never seen so many plastic eggs!

 These pictures were taken after the masses of children had all gotten their allot ten eggs.

 

 

 

 Lucia found a prize egg.  

Ben got one also. (He was hunting in the under 5 area.)

 Lucia with her prize basket and a snow cone.

 

 Janet's attempted photo with the Easter Bunny

 The bounce house obstacle course

...a favorite.

 

 Saturday

Coloring Easter Eggs

 

 

 Sunday Morning

 

Inspecting the Easter Basket loot

 .

Egg Hunt in the yard.

 

 This hunt was fast and furious.

 

 Checking out the prizes in the eggs

 This one came with a little friend.