Family Time, Texas Style...

Our visit to my son's, as always was short and sweet.  My grandson's are growing up fast!  A one and four year old keep Mom and Dad busy, busy busy!  I had to laugh at how much the youngest reminded me of my son, always into things, climbing and undoing things faster than Mom or Dad can "do" them or get him down again!  He even has curls just like his Dad did.  The oldest looks and acts a lot like Mom, and the youngest looks and acts like Dad, so cute.

We played in Lake Lavon, which their home is right on the edge of, had a wonderful night of fireworks on the 4th with friends, took the little ones to the park to play in the water and each day checked to see if their dog Sadie was going to have her pups (she waited until I left, and had them that day!).

We introduced them to Freddy's Frozen Custard, Yum, and we enjoyed many hours of playtime and stories together.

Jack and I did escape one afternoon to go visit the Audie Murphy/American Cotton Museum in Greenville TX and then take in a movie afterward.  The museum was quite nice and very informative.  It's always fun to learn about things you don't grow up around like cotton farming.  It was a booming business for many years for Greenville.  Audie Murphy was also quite a hero.  I had heard of his name before, but never really thought much about him.  I knew he did western movies, but didn't really know that he was such a war hero.  Reading about his military career, and how he won every metal there was, was quite impressive, especially for someone so young and so small (barely 5'8" and 110 lbs).

While we were at my son's I received some sad news.  My middle sister passed away.  She had been battling leukemia for the past year and we knew she was on borrowed time, but we thought she had a few more months.  Our plans were to see her one last time in just a couple of weeks, as we knew things were getting worse.  Now all that's changed.  She didn't want a funeral, but her daughters do want to have a Celebration of Life, but later, in a month or so.

So, we've adjusted our route, once again.  We won't be heading to Louisiana after all, but making a slow loop northward toward Washington via Oklahoma, the Dakotas, and Montana...maybe.  "Flexibility" is our middle name...;-)  Follow along and see where we end up, your guess is as good as ours right now...

...on the road in Texas,  Marie

If you wish to view the rest of the photos from this trip, you can at my Flickr account at:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/74905158@N04/

Lakeside living...

One of my sons lives in Texas, and up until now has been renting a home in Plano, just outside of Dallas.  For years he's had a dream of owning a home that over looks a lake.  He's always been a "water baby", swimming, all kinds of fishing, boating...if it involves water, he loves it!  So, having a home next to the water, one filled with fish, was bound to be in his future..."some day".   As we all know, homes "along the water" don't come cheap, so one's "dream home" usually takes awhile, and a lot of hard work.

Well, that "long while, and hard work" has finally paid off, and this past week my son's dream finally came true!  We arrived just in time to help him and his young family move into his wonderful new (to them) lake home! This lovely home sits right beside Lake Lavon in Princeton Texas with their back yard going right down to the water's edge.

Each evening we all sit outside on their patio and just take in that beautiful view, smiling at how wonderful it is and talking about all the plans they already have.  An added bonus (for us) is that he has enough land around the house that we can park our RV on the property too!

It was so fun the first weekend.  We had gotten a storm the night before, which left some nice puddles out on the front lawn.  The family came over to the RV to join us in the morning, and as we sat there talking, we saw out our window a mallard duck and it's mate come waddling up and make themselves comfortable in the puddles!  My young grandson and I had quite the joy watching the two of them just swimming around in his new front yard!  Later that morning, as we were all working in their kitchen, we watched as a handful of rabbits played in the side yard.

Each morning and evening we are serenaded by the frogs and birds.  Country nature at it's best!  Its truly wonderful here.

North American Cardinal

Every parent's wish is for their children to own their own home, hopefully the "home of their dreams".  With this last move, I can now rest that my three children are all now "in their own homes" happily paying mortgages", albeit all in different states, and in all different types of homes, but hey, they are all happy!  Yea!

Living the "RV lifestyle" certainly helps with "commuting" from west coast, central, and east coast just to see my three kids!

We couldn't leave Texas without one last "tornado watch!"  So, just a couple of days before we were to leave, sure enough, true to form, the weather folks told us to "button down and get ourselves ready, because it was coming our way!"  So, we did.  Pulled in the sides and moved the rig close into the house, and waited.  And waited.  Well, 'round about 9 O'clock the lightening and thunder started and then came the rain.  Well, that lasted on and off until about 4 am and then that was it!  Some wind, but not much.  Fine by me!
Next day, the sun came out as if there had never been a storm!  Gotta love Texas!

We've had a nice long visit here.  Helped some.  Enjoyed seeing my kid's dream come true, seeing my littlest grandson getting bigger, celebrated a couple of birthdays, and seen some new areas around Dallas we haven't seen before, so it must be time to leave.

As we leave them to get settled in (which we know will take "forever") we will finally leave this great state of Texas for now and head "our sweet home" to a new state for us, one we've not ventured into before...Arkansas!  I'm excited!

...on the road again,  Marie