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Sunday, July 4, 2010

Balmorhea, Texas (June 22 -24, 2010)











While I am actually sitting down at the computer I thought I should probably try to get a few blogs out of the way. I have been so bad this year. Since going back to work I have not been the greatest at keeping up with my blog and what the girls have been up to. Speaking of going back to work...I finally got a job as a 5th grade Math teacher! I am so excited!!! It is going to be a tough year with a tough class and being pregnant, but I know that it will be successful! Besides I get to take Elyse with me and that makes it worth it just to have my daughter at school with me!!!

Clay and I were very lucky this summer. We got a two week parent vacation from our children. I know some may say that I am horrible for doing that to my kiddos, but it was probably more of a vacation from us to them! They had fun visiting two different sets of grandparents for two weeks! the first week they spent with Grandma Sherry in Ruiodoso, MM. This was the week that I went to Girl's Camp (which was absolutely wonderful this year! It was not nearly as hot as it could have been, the facilities were nice, and the girls that were in my level were wonderful young women!) The second week the girls spent with their Grandpa and Grandma Hooten in El Paso. They were able to attend a vacation bible school in the mornings and play with their cousins in the evenings. They were definitely kept busy while away from us!

On our way to pick the girls up from El Paso Clay and I took a mini vacation to a neat place in West Texas called Balmorhea. If you live in Texas it is a MUST SEE! The pool is a naturally fed aquifer that is crystal clear. It was like swimming in Hawaii. In fact I haven't seen anything like it since I have been to Hawaii. It was a fresh water pool that had fish in it. Clay and I did snorkeling for two days! It was wonderful! The campgrounds aren't really anything to talk about other then it was just a place to sleep.

On Friday evening we went to the McDonald Observatory in the Davis Mountains and were able to look at the stars through telescopes! It was pretty neat!

We had a great time together. It was fun to work together to set up the tent and to cook dinner. We haven't really been camping since we went to Utah 3 years ago. we decided that this little place is going to be our place for our family every year to go to. It is only 3 hours from here and is well worth it.

After our two days there we drove another 3 hours to El Paso to pick up the girls. We drove home on Sunday...we made a spur of the moment decision to take the girls to the pool at Balmorhea. Elyse LOVED it! Madyson not so much. She was actually scared of swimming with the fish. We couldn't get her beyond sitting on the stairs. Oh well! Maybe next time!

My mama would be so proud!!!











I have officially accomplished something that I have wanted to learn FOREVER! I have tried braiding Elyse's hair for about 3 years and could NEVER do it. I began to think I wasn't cut out to raising girls because EVERYONE can french braid...well except me...until NOW! I am proud to say that after spending a week with a bunch of teenage girls who love to have their hair braided at Girl's Camp I have officially learned to French Braid. It is not perfect, but it is getting better...trust me! It has looked much worse! Thanks to Elyse for having so much patience with me to practice on her. Madyson was a trooper this morning. Usually she doesn't want me to touch her hair, but on Sundays it is a completely different story. She loves to get dressed up for church and will let me do her hair. I was almost halfway done before she decided she didn't want her hair done anymore when Clay bribed her with some candy...hey...can I do that every day just so I can do the child's hair???