Alex is a Teenager!

Somehow we blinked and we no longer have children, we have two teenagers!  Happy 13th birthday, Alex!!

This boy LOVES his birthday and wants to celebrate with everyone for the entire month.  We decided to keep it to a one-day celebration but did have plenty of visitors in and out of our Airbnb house all day.

We had Alex convinced that cookie cakes weren't available on his birthday and he had to settle for just a regular cookie from Great American Cookies.  He was clearly disappointed but took it like a champ.

The first round of gifts and hugs!

The thrill was real when we pulled out his real cake and this boy was excited.

The second crew to come celebrate, and Stacey and the boys were staying for the week!

We found that the ducks at North Shore park were happy to be fed any time of day...they were such friendly guys and girls.

Grumpy wanted to rent a boat on Lake Conroe and take all his grandsons out tubing.  They happily accepted!

We found a very willing driver as well.

It was a really gorgeous afternoon and such a fun couple of hours on the water.

We had some water fun at the Airbnb as well.  It had a really great pool and backyard.

We had to stop by and feed all the ducks again!

Carter found the perfect hiding spot!

Reid had fun playing chess with Uncle Matt.

It was a wonderful week celebrating our new teenager and enjoying time with the cousins!  Too bad every week can't be like this one.

Enjoying Summer

We had lots to get done while Matt was in town, like doctor and dental visits, but sometimes we were able to schedule some fun things in as well - like a chicken fried steak at Texas Tradition while we were in Katy for several appointments. Delish!

Ben started his driving and observation lessons at Safeway driving.  I couldn't take pictures too close for fear of embarrassing the student driver!

We got new golf clubs and decided to test them out at Top Golf.  It was so much fun...they even have an Angry Birds game!

I wish there was one in Jakarta! Although it would be full ALL the time and we'd never get in.

I always love getting to catch up with Lesley and shock her at the things that still happen in Jakarta.

We had a quiet 4th of July but enjoyed more cookie cake and time with our families.

 

Farm Fun in Alabama

When we're looking for the complete opposite of the concrete, noise, and crowds of Jakarta, nothing beats the farm in Alabama. The green wide open spaces are so good for our souls!

This old truck is certainly Ben's favorite and will pretty much make his summer complete.

It was great with a real permit this year because he was able to drive a lot more.

Nothing like a boy driving an old truck on a red dirt road...

Alex got his turn at the wheel a few times but just around the farm.

They both got plenty of time on the four-wheelers for sure.

Sunset rides are always my favorite.

We had a few fun campfires as well!

We like to save our plastic bottles from the week and set up our own shooting range at the end of the week.

And yes, this mom can shoot, too!

The boys are getting a little big for the orange chair!

Our week went by quickly and it was time to head back to the real world.

Galveston 50th Anniversary Celebration

Just a quick 10 days behind us, Matt arrived on the same route in Houston and headed straight out for some Tex-Mex.  He went straight from dinner to his first Covid vaccination!

His timing was purposeful this year because he made it just in time to start celebrating the Kirkhams' 50th wedding anniversary! Making plans during Covid was risky, so everyone agreed on a long weekend at the beach instead of a party. The house we rented turned out to be pretty perfect!  

A wonderful anniversary dinner with fresh seafood at Guido's.

A tropical storm passed nearby and instead of ruining our weekend with rain, we were blessed with the most gorgeous weather and water that Galveston has to offer.

What a wonderful weekend together celebrating a legacy of 50 years together!