Summer 2011

This summer was a busy one!  It started out with a 3 day trip to some training to work with hard of hearing/deaf babies.  Then I came back and Donna and I had a puppy party!  Donna has 5 dogs (2 poodles - Jett, and Lizette, a westie/poodle mix - Carly, a bichon/poodle mix - Kirby, and a lab - Cooper) and I have Mercy so we got together and let them play.  What happens when they all think they're lap dogs....



They ALL lay on you!!!  In this picture Kirby was busy barking at his imaginary friends and couldn't be bothered so you can see Mercy, Lizette, Jett, Carly, Cooper and me.

My sweet Thomas is in Karate and LOVES it when people come to watch his class.  He's pretty good at it too!  One day his favorite Aunt Leanne got to come -- though he really wasn't too interested in the post-karate photo session...

One afternoon when I was down we went and got the little stud a haircut -- itsn't he a cutie?!



Possibly the most anticipated part of the summer is 'Neals on Wheels' when my older sister, Amy, and her family come to visit.  We usually are the end of their visit and end the visit with a trip to my Aunt Sharon and Uncle Craigs house in New Braunfels.  This year, they switched it up and we went to Sharon and Craig's first.  Mom, Allison, Thomas, and I loaded up and headed down.  As always, I got bored within the first few hours so I started taking pictures!


 Mom cooperated nicely (course, she was driving so she had little choice!)

 

However, Thomas and Allison were not so accomodating....notice the resemblence in Mother/Son behavior....


 Self-portrait (notice NOW Allison chooses to be in the photo -- with her tongue hanging out...)


 

When we finally arrived Thomas tried out the beds and decided they were quite comfy.  He loves staying at hotels!  After we'd settled in a bit we loaded back into the car and headed out to Aunt Sharon and Uncle Craigs. Soon after we got there Grandma and Aunt Sharon got there.  Grandma got some love from Thomas, but really, he just couldn't wait for Amy, Paul, Christopher, and Andrew to get there!  Soon enough Team Neal arrived and swimming chaos ensued! 


(This kind of chaos is the best kind!)
We swam, had hot dogs and hamburgers with all the fixings, potato salad, and homemade salsa for dinner.  Amy and Paul stayed with Sharon and Craig so once the boys were in bed and T was ready to go to the hotel, Mom, Allison, Thomas and I went back and got a good nights sleep!

The next morning we got up and went to the Children's Museum in New Braunfels.  It's mainly one large room with play sections set up.  There was a train section and a store section and a home section, etc.  The boys ran around (with a few minor issues) and played until lunch time.

 

Grandma, me, and Aunt Sharon 

After we finished playing we headed out to lunch.  We went to a place called Pat's Diner where Amy was excited to have a Dr. Pepper and Christopher was excited to....read the menu! 

 We swam again and had leftover burgers and such that night and I learned to make potato salad!  Then we headed back the next day.

Other exciting things we did while the Neal's were in Dallas:
*Cousin Pictures - at a local park - at 9 am - in 95 degree weather --- joy.
*Ring bearer practice @ Prestonwood Baptist Church
*Ring Bearer tux fittings
*The Rosemead water park (sooo fun!)
*LOTS and LOTS of playing
*A trip to the Dallas Aquarium (more pics later)
*Amy, Gram, Paul, Allison, Thomas, and Andrew saw Cars 2 while Christopher and Aunt Elan (Auntie Lan?!) stayed home and played


A few more cute photos:

Christopher playing on Paul's iPhone at Starbucks (love the seriousness!)
 

Andrew checking his 'email'...



Christopher playing in the little pool while the 'big boys' saw Cars 2


It was so much fun to see the Neals and to know they'd be back in a few short months!