Deep in the heart of Texas

The timing of this trip seemed like it was right on top of Disneyland. Our decision to go was based off of the Gaines family leaving Texas in August for the next military assignment. the California trip was a good warm up for security checks, plane etiquette etc. Boys did great during travel, Eric has officially made a habit of winning the hearts of the flight attendants. As much as i hate the heat in Texas, the memories we make there always make the trip worth it!

The night after we got there we all went to the Rodeo for BBQ  and belly laughs!

This is one of the 8 attempts to get a picture of both of them smiling and looking at the camera!

just thought this was cute, they just jumped in to experiencing life together!

Eric made a friend of Thomas after he hold him "You best take that cigret out you mouth, it will make your teeth green"
Ha! he is so funny, after Thomas came over to have a chat and hold him, Eric got a bit more shy. He then decided that he needed ride the mechanical bull and away he went!

Aaron 6, Ethan 7, Nathan 5, Eric 4

Nathan started collecting bottle caps, serious business you know!

One guess as to where nate's finger was before this picture was taken!

The kids on the way to mutton bust....another blog entry has the link to view

Aaron stayed on his sheep the longest and had highest score, thus won a belt buckle....about a week into our trip this was the conversation at teh breakfast table.

Me: Hey are you guys excited to use your free happy meal coupon you won mutton busting?

Aaron: yeah! i want to do it again, do you guys want to do it again?

Nate: NO (like duh)

Aaron: Why not nate?

Nate: because it hurt my body!

Ethan: Aaron you only want to do it again, because you had a gentle ride on a sheep

(the other three were tossed off like rag dolls)

I could not help but start laughing out loud, they are so funny!

proud cowboy

sad cowboy

This is Nate (and Jana) I love nate for many reasons, he is funny, sweet, mild mannered, and he love milk.
During the rodeo on my way back to the van nate and eric joined me. about half way there nate says in a desperate voice "i need milk." im thinking milk?! i dont have any milk, its like 80 degrees and 8 pm, we have not cooler, there is not milk.I open the van to get a diaper, nate jumps in the van, from the side door. the next thing i know he bailing over the the back seat to exit out the back with milk in hand, not even waiting until fully exiting the vehicle he stands in the trunk of van and begin to quench his milk thirst...."nate get out of the van, you're dripping milk out of your mouth" then i am in disbelief....WHERE DID THIS MILK COME FROM !?!?!? He drank what was left of this milk, which started off about half full, i changed a diaper and we headed back up to the rodeo. THAT MILK WAS IN THERE ALL DAY, im surprised it wasn't completely curdled. One thing was clear by the end the night, The Tejas Rodeo was one of the best memories ever made in the Anderson family, and nate really does love milk

Keep Austin Batty! We took a day trip to Austin. It rained so hard which forced us to find indoor activities. We went to the capital building, which was beautiful, and in true Texas fashion HUGE. We Also went to a museum to watch a show about Texas' crazy weather...since aaron is convinced behind every dark cloud is a tornado, this movie was a must see once we saw it was playing. The museum was really cool. I would go back to spend more time if we even went back to Austin!

We had lunch at uncle billy's BBQ

Bill loves Stevie Ray Vaughn. This was a  HUGE statue of him

I think aaron is looking under the skirt :D

We are waiting on Bat bridge...what a BUST...
bats apparently had not been flying out for the last few weeks..maybe next time!

We are so  bless by Cameron's temperment, he is such chill baby!

Arrrrrrrrr

Bowling at the base with cousins! then we headed over to Big Lou's Pizza...will have to steal a few pics from jana to complete this texas entry. 42" pizza...after the fact all of us were like, we should have waited 10 years!

crazy kids!

Schlitterbahn was fun, it will be a lot more fun when the kids are 10 years older!
 Would have spent less time at the original park, we will know for next time!

Just hanging in the sun!

What a great time we had! I have been to Texas 6 times since Jana moved there 10 years ago, this trip by far was my/our favorite. Each time we leave, bill and i talk about how we want to improve our 'community' at home. The fellowship that exists in matt and janas military circle is awesome! Where ever the assignment takes them, i look forward to planning another visit!

Mother's Day

This is a piece of me i am changing. My mom and i took Bill and Dad up to the airport for an a trip when i was pregnant with Aaron. After dinner we went down to the board walk....I dont like pictures in general, a trait i got from my mom....but here is one where she is actually smiling a good smile, and i.......am having attitude about something....how long it took to take teh photo? we were needing to go so they would not be late to the flight....really who knows.  What i DO know is i wish that i was smiling.  Many friends sent me texts on mother's day....the day was half over before i realized my mom was absent. This blog is a place where i can be totally honest....yes i miss my mom, i miss her soft cheeks and hands, i miss her hugs, i miss her wisdom, her design sense, her problem solving skills, her reading to boys so many things, but manyof these things i also appreciated when she was here. Im so thankful for the mom i had! back to teh photo,,,,im learning to not sweat the small stuff...not be so up tight.......and not to have great expectations of getting the great photo, just to docment we were there and soak in the moment. this day we took dad and bill to airport and whne they checked in dad had to do an extra security clearance apparently Don Michael is on the do not fly list...oh boy did mom and i have a laugh over dads face that day! good night, eric just came down stairs :|

Mutton busting

We are in Texas! We had a great time at the local rodeo! Below is a link to see the boys in action.... Start at photo 107, Eric goes first, then Nathan, Aaron, Ethan.
http://jmohar.smugmug.com/2012TejasRodeo/May12th/MuttonBusting/22946203_j4Tcb7#/2012TejasRodeo/May12th/MuttonBusting/22946203_j4Tcb7/1843879225_5LGzMmm

Disneyland

Last summer some friends of ours told us how they took their kids to Disneyland....this started the ball rolling of my hope to go....Bill wasn't on board...last fall that is, but when 2012 hit we started talking about it again! We planned on taking a trip down in April, looked at his work schedule and booked tickets.....theeeeeeeeen, i talked with Jana! She and Matt had also thought to take their boys in April....just so happens they had not purchased their tickets yet, before we know it the all of us (Michael girls) and our families and dad and sandy and nana where headed to california! We kepts it as a surprise, they didn't know where they were going until the morning we went.

On the shuttle headed to air port, boys still don't know what they're in for!

Kids are tired but still fighting over who gets to push the button :/

Eric was such a good sport. He was a little short for a few of the rides, but did so good on the trip!

Seeing all the kids together was really fun....the first time they have been ALL together for a while!

The Michael girls...bill said he was just snapping pictures, this is the only one that we have of the three of us :)

WORST RIDE EVER our longest wait of the day was for this,
 I think Matt might be asking if there is a way to take this 'bummper car' or 'geriatric mode'

Aren't the cute!?

Macy and Eric spent most of the trip just like this...together 'putting up' with all the craziness!

My favorite time of the night ..we saw world of color twice, pretty amazing show! 

I think the day we can get all kids to look and smile at the same time, fireworks will start going off!

This was the first night, i started noticing he wasnt feeling well...turns out he had an ear ache, what a trooper!

Eric where's pluto?
Thank you target clearence for the cheap shirts!

Aaron with Nate and Ethan...

Welcome Nana! Bill's mom came down and played with us for 2 of the days...look at Cam, he was acting great, but looking at it now, he looks miserable!

The sweatshirt i packed for Aaron was 2 sizes to small.. whoops! not one complaint from him

What a fun time we had! Hoping to do it again sometime in the next few years. So thankful that everyone was able to go!

Lots to catch up on!

I don't know why half this post is underlined...and im not going to waste more time to figure it out!I really do want to try to update more regularly with photos...so here is an attempt...there are groceries to be put away, cleaning to do, laundry to fold, phone calls (i want to make)......all of these (besides phone calls) can wait until Cameron wakes up from a nap, and Aaron and Eric get back from the neighbors!  First of the pictures are just a few favorites from this spring. I am so grateful for Billy's desire to 'grab the camera' before we leave to where ever our next adventure waits! 

The boys are on the same T Ball team this year.

With our A and E doing what i call 'playing defense' on keeping a clean house...Cameron is safest being held at times....It can be hard to get anything accomplished holding him..but HE loves it!

I can't believe Eric is smiling AND looking at camera!

The boys love taking cameron for a ride on their gator.

Eric loves helping dad, wether dad wants it or not ;)

Fun with dad  at the park!