Vacation to Buffalo National River in Arkansas, Oct. 18-22

Pregnant mama needed something to eat, right now, on the way to Arkansas.  In true form, Chad found an out of the way BBQ place that was really good!

We left Texas later than expected and ended up not getting to our destination til 9pm or so.  We decided to spend the night in a cabin instead of trying to find a site and set up our tent in the dark.  We stayed at the MacIntosh cabin at Silver Lake Cabins.  Nice, cozy place.  I AM pregnant, and Chad DID have pneumonia.

Lane and I took a short hike, from which I had to CARRY him back, but it was nice to go for a walk in the woods.

Me and Lane in front of an abandoned mine shaft in the mining ghost town of Rusk, near the Buffalo River.

Lane is certainly showing promise as a photographer.  Nice job, sweety!

Lane and daddy cooking hot dogs at our campsite.

Unexpected visitor kept us on our toes.

Cozy.

Steel Creek, on the Buffalo River, where I used to go as a kid.

Elk Lane at the Elk Visitor Center in Ponca, Arkansas.

Chad and his knack for finding unique restaurants.  I think this was Fort Smith, Arkansas.  Inside Lane rode a Razorback for 25 cents.  Was kinda hard to stomach as a Longhorn :)!

After camping two nights in Arkansas, we got to Beavers Bend State Park in Oklahoma after dark, again.  So we opted to stay in their 'lodge' on the lake.  It was a motel with a very nice view of the lake.  We considered camping another night, but ended up coming home and getting some much needed rest.   I am determined to camp at Beavers Bend State Park one day!  It's such a nice, scenic, family friendly place.

It's the Great Pumpkin, Grandpa!

Thank you, Grandpa, for coming to spend the day with us and bringing Lane a special pumpkin for Halloween!  And apricots!  And get well flowers for Chad!

Celebrating Wedding Bells

Aunt Charlene, Cousin Reisha, Aunt Jo and Riley and Jack.

Cousins:  Bailey, Lane and Bode.

Sharon and Jack.

Jack and Sharon got married on October 10, 2010 in Las Vegas.  A party was held in their honor at their house on October 16th.  Chad couldn't make it cause he had pneumonia.  A group picture was taken and I'll post it if I can get a copy of it :)!  Congrats to the happy couple!

Just Because

"Space" Class at the Dallas Museum of Art

After talking about space, the kind you occupy - not the kind rockets go to, the teacher, Leah, took a paper chicken through a painting.  The chicken went across the river, through the bushes, around the houses, over the mountains and back across the river so she could go home for dinner that  night.  This was all based on a book she read at the beginning about a chicken going through space (over the haystack, under the fence...).  A great lesson and fun playtime afterwards in the new Arturo's Nest.  The DMA does a good job of welcoming little ones to the museum.

State Fair of Texas 2010

You take what you can get when you ask a random stranger to take your picture in front of Big Tex.

This is actually a 'corn dog' toast to Jack and Sharon that got married in Las Vegas about the time we were taking this picture.

The Backyard Circus really held Lane's attention although he showed no interest in volunteering to be a lion or a tiger or anything else :).

The Children's Farm at the State Fair was one of my favorite things to watch Lane do all day.  He got an apron and basket upon entering and as he travelled the path he watered a peach tree and collected a peach, gathered grain, fed the chickens and collected an egg in his basket in the chicken coop, fed grain to the cow and milked her and took a carton of milk with him, planted what looked like okra seeds, collected some vegetables, fed the sheep and collected some wool, and rode a tractor around a circle to take feed to the pigs and cows.  At the end he put all his 'gatherings' back into bins in the farmers market and received paper money which he got to redeem at the store for a snack.  AWESOME exhibit.  By far, my favorite for him from the entire day.

Uncle Zach Comes to Town

Taking a nap on the way to meet Uncle Zach for breakfast at Tom's Grill in Arlington.

Even though it was a short visit, it was great to see Zach who came to town to watch the Rangers play in the playoffs.  He brought Liam, Jackson and Lane Texas Rangers shirts he got at the game this past Saturday (we saw him on Sunday before the game).  This is a picture of them playing with one of the Halloween Picture Seek and Find books Grandma Karen sent up with Zach for Liam and Lane.  Thanks for being so thoughtful Zach and Karen!  Love, love, love. 

Getting Ready for Baby Sister

Lane was practicing holding his baby sister gently in the rocking chair with Susie, my baby doll from when I was a kid.  He really seems excited about her arrival and will happily tell you she will be here in January.

Frisco's Sci-Tech Discovery Center

Lane colored a picture of a scientist for his ticket to get into the newly re-opened Frisco Sci-Tech Discovery Center.  GREAT place to play.  Lane loved it.  We were there over two hours and could have stayed longer if it wasn't lunch/nap time.  We'll have to go back soon.  The same facility is also home of the Black Box Theatre, where the Frisco Community Theatre (I may not have the name exactly correct) performs.  Forever Plaid is now showing and I'd love to go see it.  I saw it once before, I think at the Zachary Scott Theatre in Austin.  On the way home, Lane commented, "We never saw the girl in the picture I colored." 
P.S.  Michelle, Lane loves his Christmas tree hat... all year long :)!

Day with Liam, Jackson and Aunt Marlym

A couple of Tuesdays ago, Marilyn, Liam and Jackson came over to spend Marilyn's day off work, Tuesday, with us.  The boys played in the sandbox, Lane took an obviously much needed nap, and we made smoothies before heading to Stride Rite for new shoes and back home for spaghetti dinner.

Neighborhood Block Party

Our neighborhood block party was this afternoon.  Lane got to see inside both an ambulance and a fire truck.  Was so fun to have so many kids playing outside and neighbors out visiting.  I got to paint faces.  Lane got a red and yellow dinosaur and a brown crescent moon with a pink eye, both on his arm!  Lane got to jump in the bounce house, ride his bike, play with friends and watch a magic show!  Chad made yummy hot beans to share and brought hot dogs for us to eat.

Zoo with Grandpa, Lunch with Grandma

Last Thursday, Lane and I met Grandpa at the Fort Worth Zoo.  We saw gorillas, crocodiles, gharias, alligatorss, lizards, snakes, the komodo dragon for the first time, flamingos and the Wild Texas exhibit before riding the train back to the entrance.  Just before we left, Lane almost fell asleep in the cart we rented at the front gate.  We stopped at Grandma's frame shop to eat BBQ and visit before heading back to Frisco.

Gym Day

Open Gym Day in Allen this past Wednesday.  What a fun place for a two year old! The place was full of moms and kids.  Lane got to play in the bounce house, in the pit of sock-eating foam squares, in the blowup whale(?), on trampolines, and best of all, he got to 'fly' across the gym on a swing attached to a trapeze!