Out of the Sand

While in Galveston we spent much time on the beach but some of my favorite moments were just conversations in the car, silly or cuddly moments in our condo and a few of the sand-free tourist stops.







We had a blast touring the rain forest at Moody Gardens, especially the butterfly exhibit.



G could have stayed there for hours just trying to catch one.

The animals were amazing, terrifying, interesting and beautiful all at the same time.



Since it was a week day and school is back in session, we were one of the only families there that day. We got lots of attention from the staff. It was neat to learn fun facts about the animals and to have someone point out some of the harder to spot creatures. After a lesson on bats, G decided he wanted to try doing things upside down for a while.



He kept assuming this position and announcing, "I'm a bat!". Funny kid!

We even got to see a Dora movie in 4-D! It was a new experience for all of us and I think we were all caught off guard at the first blast of mist in our faces as Dora flew her plane under a waterfall.





G also took his first swing at Putt-Putt Golf in Galveston.



Yep, Hole-in-One on his first swing! He's a natural!

After playing one round he asked to "Play Putt-Putt right now?" repeatedly. Even at 8 am the next morning he was asking me if we could go play putt-putt. The last night of vacation we obliged with a trip to another one of the local putt-putt courses. Although there was no hole-in-one that night, we still had lots of fun.



Yep, that is the best the lady at the course could do.
Yep, I played putt-putt like that.
Yep, G has started saying yep. He draws is out. It's hilarious.

It was memorable family vacation. A week together, uninterrupted is a beautiful thing. We are all looking forward to future family vacations, possibly even back to (as G calls it) our little yellow Galveston house.

More on that {Father's Day}

After celebrating only two Father's Day's it has already become one of my favorite celebrations of the year. There is hardly a thing in the world that is more tender to my heart than seeing the man I love with the babies we share. As G grows so does his obviously adoration of his Daddy. And as he grows the number of things that the two of them can share in grows as well.

This past Father's Day, Matt wanted to start the morning at the driving range trying out his new driver. So after breakfast we all loaded up and headed out with a few extra plastic clubs in the bag.



I am not sure how Matt envisioned the trip going, but he hardly got to hit a ball. Most of the morning looked like this...



The sweet thing is, whether he envisioned it or not, I don't think he would have had it any other way. G was in heaven getting to hit the ball a few feet and learning to use the tee. He would come back and sit with Nolan and I and count as Daddy hit five balls and then it was "my turn" again.

I think it was a perfect picture of Father's Day. The selflessness that being a Father brings and the joy that being selfless miraculously gives you in return.

See before kids I imagine there were a million things that Matt never imagined that he could do, would want to do or would even love doing
Like sharing his last bite of pudding or even his cherished lick of the lid,
Singing the ABC's softly on repeat to calm a fussy baby,
Reading the same book 5 times (or more) in a row because that sweet "again daddy" is just so irresistible,
kissing boo-boo's,
wiping snot,
making diaper changes a count down game to distract a squirmy toddler,
sitting in the little chairs at the library watching a production of the Tortoise and the Hare,



driving to the call of every bus, plane, horse, or cow, buying knee pads just so he could give G horsey rides on the wood floors
or spending your morning at the driving range like this...



Our boys are so blessed to call him Daddy and the sweet thing is I know at such young ages they already feel it.



Matt, you are the boy's hero and my rock and we love you always!

See last Father's Day here.

Renaissance Man

In one day this boy goes from

Piano Man


To Golf Prodigy


All in true toddler fashion with a Snotty Nose


A true renaissance man in the making!