Happy Fall

Enjoying the perfect fall weather with Grandpa and Auntie Karla!

Pumpkins

Pumpkin carving time with Grandpa and Auntie Karla!

Childhood in Texas

While Grandpa Boaz and Aunt Karla were visiting us, we took a fun field trip that we didn't get to do last year when we were studying Texas history - we went to Barrington Living History Farm and Washington-on-the-Brazos to learn what childhood was like in 19th century Texas.

We toured the living history cotton farm.

And we got to do chores and play at the home of Anson Jones, once of the presidents of the Republic of Texas.

After a picnic in the pecan grove on this perfect-weather day, the older kids learned even more at the Star of the Republic Museum.  They even got to make their own toys to take home!

We all scream...

...for Blue Bell!  We can't drive through the Brenham are without stopping in at the factory for a scoop, and we needed to make sure Aunt Karla got to try some while she was here.

We also stopped to smell the roses at the Antique Rose Emporium.

And a little winding down at home after a busy day of history, roses, and ice cream.  But Ezra kept on his Blue Bell hat through it all!

Bastrop Beauty

After the first couple months of back-to-school and busy fall schedule, we enjoyed a day at an EFCA seminar in Austin (with childcare!) with an overnight at Bastrop State Park.

We stayed in one of the historic cabins built during the Depression by the CCC.  It was a fun evening of roasting hotdogs and marshmallows, popping popcorn, and reading by the campfire.

The morning brought a picnic breakfast, exploring by the little lake, tromping through the woods full of American Beautyberries and monarch butterflies, and hiking through one of the areas impacted by a wildfire a few years ago. 

Family Retreat

Life doesn't slow down much, but occasionally we remember to take a moment to slow down and enjoy the sweetness of today.  So we packed up the car and drove to Buda to take advantage of the little cabin that we get to use at Twin Oaks Ranch, an EFCA retreat center.

We enjoyed roasting marshmallows, picnic breakfasts, a hammock by the creek, canoeing, and playing foosball in the game room.  Even schoolwork is more fun when you get to do it in the chapel with giant windows overlooking the creek!

One of the evenings, we picked up some cupcakes at the food truck park and found a spot by Congressional Bridge.  Shortly after sundown, we enjoyed the beauty of millions of bats flying out from under the bridge to swirl around the evening sky.

The next morning we visited the Austin Science and Nature center, where we had fun exploring all the outdoor exhibits.

The coolest part was the trade center, where you could bring in interesting rocks or specimens and trade them in for new natural treasures.  We didn't know about the trade center ahead of time, so we hadn't brought anything with us, but the man at the desk was nice enough to talk with Naomi and Johnathan about the limestone rocks they found outside and show them how it bubbles when you put a drop of acid on it.  He gave them credit to trade for some rocks from the "Cool Rocks" bin!