Dallas Fun

In addition to Eric's race we were there for my nephew's blessing and to hang out for the week. Despite two trips to the doctor and one emergency surgery for my niece, we had a great time! The kids and I drove out a week early for the blessing and Eric rode out with Mike and Adi later to meet us. The kids were great the entire time. Couldn't have been better.

We:

1. went swimming at their friends' and Tracy's mother's neighborhood pool

2. played slip -n- slide

3. went to the Dallas children's museum

4. went to church on the forth of July

5. ate yummy dinners out

6. ate pizza

7. shopping at Sam Moon and the LDS Book store

8. went house looking with just me and my brother. We haven't done anything with just him and I for years so that was very fun for both of us!

9. ate dinner at THE CUTEST RESTAURANT EVER! The Magic Time Machine. The servers dress up like characters and the entire thing in an act from the time you walk in to the time you walk out. We got Tinkerbelle. Highly recommend this place. Austin asked Pocahontas where the bathroom was and she literally yelled to the entire place, "WATCH EVERYONE. THIS KIDS GOT TO GO!" Austin hated it but really it was hilarious! I saw Cinderella taking a group of kids to the bathroom and made them do a conga line chanting "We gotta go. We gotta go."

10. got strep throat (Aliyah and I)

11. watched kids while my Sister-in-law and brother stayed at the hospital for Brittany's emergency surgery/stitches. Kids: never climb WET monkey bars...never.

12. Generally threw a schedule out of the window and totally relaxed.

This trip is on the agenda for next year!

Magic Time Machine

Cutie Patootie

Jaden gave up on the spoon for his ice cream...my kinda man!

Tink

Magic Time Machine

Children's Museum

Baby Chase

Slip-n-slide

Buddies, born three days apart!

My 4th of July kids :)

BUNCHES of Bascoms!

Eric's family has always been wonderful about making an effort to come see us, the black sheep of the family who moved away. We love them for it. This time when they came we decided to jam in as much activity as humanly possible into the time they were here. (In case they never come back, right?)

We did:

1. Mya's gymnastics

2. two of Austin's swim meets (bless their melting souls!)

3. looked for gators

4. yummy food

5. a night at the Cabin, which included lots of lake swimming, fishing, crafts, yummy food, critter finding, boys cousins all piled in one room, girls cousins retreating to travel trailer with Grandma and Grandpa, jumping off of the boat house, smores and a not-so-scary-to-anyone-else-but-the-Eric-Bascom-kids story.

6. Austin's baptism

7. waffles after church

8. jambalya courtesy of my bro Shane after baptism...delish!

9. Global Wildlife center where the pregnant giraffes ate right out of our hands!

10. shopping

11. golf for guys

12. forgetting our kids where around because they did not need us at all with so many cousins around.

13. barbecuing

14. touring Houmas House

15. eating at "The Cabin"

16. more shopping

17. Eric's Rotary dinner, which we totally dolled Chrisie up for!

18. youth temple trip

19. swimming, swimming and swimming

20. sno-balls

21. lizard, frog and turtle catching

22. girls fixing each other's hair

23. etc., etc., etc.

A jam packed week. Adam and company left on Sunday and Dave's fam and Eric's parents left on Thursday. We miss everyone so much!

Baptism Boy and Dad

Warming up

Visit to see Mike the tiger. There's a real tiger it the habitat in the background.

Lewis, Cali, Aliyah, Mya

Chrisie and Me

Mya found a cozy seat

Zach, Nathan, Austin and Lewis

Kids, Eric and the gator at the Coffee House where we got... beignets, not coffee people.

Crashing at the cabin. I think there are 6 people in the picture. Can you find them all?

Grandpa cooking breakfast

Aliyah and Josh

Austin with Adam and Amy's family after his baptism. He made the hair flower amy is wearing for her.

Paddle boating. I think its Mya and Cali paddling, Zach pulling them out of the mud and Aliyah and Josh along for the ride!

There are more pictures that I need to get from Wendy and I will post them when I get them!

Tri #1 down

400 M swim., 11 mile bike ride, 2 mile run. He trained. He bought the gear. He rented a bike. He found a friend to train with him. He convinced his wife he would not die of a low blood sugar. He signed up. Drove to meet us in Dallas where we were already for my nephew's baby blessing. Tested his blood in copious amounts before, during and after. He stopped to give insulin during the race when it started to go high. He ate candy when it began to go low. He threw up candy after the race. All in all it was worth it!

I will post pics of the visit with family and such later. But for now...my man!

#207, Age 30

Getting bike into ready position. It's very early in the AM and very dark!

Racing Friends

Heading to the water. He is the one closest the camera and unfortunately the most blurry. Dang humidity!

Waiting in the water for the starting horn. His age group was the first to start. They were marked by the green caps while in the water. Once out of the water, they were marked by their age on their leg.

Transition to the bike from the swim. This is where he lost alot of time. Most people did not have to test their blood sugar, wipe their feet down excessively to avoid foot damage and give two units of insulin via a pump before they could continue. This was the fun of the challenge for him. Doing it and being competitive while adding in the "extras".

He really enjoyed the bike ride if you couldn't tell! This was him returning from the 11 miles. He wished it was longer and the run shorter. He hates running!

Mike on the bike. His chain came off which costs them some time too.

Mike, sinus infection and all, finishing.

Running in from the finish. That candy is not sitting so well.

Be right back. Gotta go puke.

Starting to feel better.

Cheerleader Adi!

Cheerleaders Amy and Austin! Eric is feeling great now!

Now he can wear the T-shirt. He wouldn't wear the shirt until he had finished! (Mya is adorable and Baby Chase is not so happy here!)

East Ascension Rotary President no mo!

Saying Thanks to Eric for a Job well done. L-R Eric, District Rotary Pres., incoming pres.

Dave and Wendy were in town still so they got to come!

Farewell speech

Blurry. But we are happy to be done with the obligation!

Walt and Chrisie were still in town so they got to come.

Eric and his brother Dave. See any family resemblance?

The Ladies (You know they are short when I am the tallest one at 5'2"! I did have three inch heels on but still...)

First real haircut!

Aliyah had her first real haircut in preparation for Eric's family to come. What a big girl!

What do you do in the summer time?

Eric likes to golf. He wants us to like to golf. So, after Autsin's first swim met (pics to come) we headed over to the driving range. I realize now there are a few reasons we have never been before.

#1 Austin had not gotten his rockin' kid size clubs for Christmas from my parents yet.

#2 The driving range is sooo quiet. Not really my kids thing. There weren't too many people though so we braved it. The only guy that was a round us was very patient with us.

Like father like son! He could really hit!

You may be surprised to hear she did make contact a couple of times.

We had to keep her from running out to get the ball she hit.

Almost as cool as hitting the ball, was the water station!

I'm guessing a woman came up with this idea to put these uber comfy chairs here :) I did some of this... (Jergens Natural Glow Lotion here I come. Yikes!)

...and some of this!! There is a reason shorts are required. It was hard in a skirt!