A beach trip for the books (& related WWW)

We love the beach.  We don't get to go nearly as often as we would like, but we try to make an annual long weekend visit of it with our friends.  We missed last year due to schedules, and I'm pretty sure Delaney being so young had something to do with it too.  So, we just got back from our Mustang Island trip for 2012, and just have to share a few several a lot of pics with you.

It's not a trip to Port Aransas without Souvenir shop and Shark mouth pictures. 

G-Daddy and Darla (not pictured because she was also loving that G-Daddy got in the shark mouth!) also came down for a night!

Yay, we made it to the BEACH!!

 

The Littles:  T and D

J playing Wiffle Ball with Will.  Don't ya love that hat??

This picture above is from 2009--Kidd and Justus (about a year older than Delaney is below).

 This picture is from this past weekend--Kidd and Delaney. 

Love it.  Will have them framed next to each other!

Someone thinks she can surf!

All three kiddos.  It was hard to get one of all three smiling, so this is the best I could do--at least you can see all three faces.

Sunrise over the Gulf.  I will never get tired of that view.

 D hanging out with Will.

Justus wanted a picture of his sandy feet.  This is one of my favorite pics because it really captures the whole weekend--Happy, Sandy Toes!

We had the greatest time just hanging out on the beach, making memories and laughing.  The Bargers even came down for a day so we got to see them for a bit.  Great trip all around and we can't wait to do it again next year!

I'm incorporating my Wednesday's Winning Words story into this one because it came out of the trip and because I got sidelined with ill child on Wednesday and Thursday. 

Saturday morning, the Royal half of the contingency took an adventure into Port A for breakfast, and on our return trip got a call from Will, asking us to pick up some tobacco.  Poor T got an accidental up-close-and-personal interface with a jellyfish on his morning walk on the beach with Kristin, and Will was going to soothe it with a tobacco paste.  So, I'm talking to Will on the phone and Kidd could tell what we were talking about and says "Just tell Will to pee on him!"  J, being a five-year-old boy, only heard that part of the conversation.  He says "Pee on him?  Pee on who?"  Kidd replies:  "T.." and before he can explain why he would suggest such a thing, Justus got a little worked up:  "NOOO, DON'T PEE ON T!!!"  That's a good friend for you--not letting others piss on you!

**Note that even though peeing on a jellyfish sting spot is a viable option (which, thanks to Friends, we all now know), Kidd truly only suggested it in humor.  I think.**

 



Port Aransas on Dwellable

4th Term: A rare and special opportunity

I've written about Camp Mystic before, and I am glad so many people read it and enjoyed it.  I loved hearing back from so many who experienced Mystic in both the same and in different ways than I.  Well, a couple of weekends ago, I had the very special opportunity to reunite with a group of girls who are collectively one of my very favorite Mystic memories.  In 1996, I had the pleasure of being a counselor in a cabin called Rough House for 18 young ladies about to enter their junior year in high school.  It was a fantastic June full of highs and lows, wins and losses, silly inside jokes, crazy competition, and everything else that camp is about.  That was my last summer at camp and I haven't seen most of those girls since.  I've been in touch with a few from time to time, and thanks to Facebook, I've reconnected with most of them (and a ton of other Mystic girls) online.  A few of them got organized and made a reunion happen, and there are no words to describe the kind of amazing it was!

Most of us rolled into Hunt, Texas on Friday night to stay at the gorgeous River House that one of the girls' parents owned (THANKS Mr. and Mrs. P!  We hope you let us do it again someday).  Armed with charm bracelets, war canoe t-shirts and Mystic memorabilia galore, we gathered so the reminiscing could begin!!
                                

 

I've learned that no matter how old you are, when you get 15 girls together for a slumber party, there is going to be very little sleep. But, it was so worth the late nights to catch up with these awesome ladies.  In anticipation of our trip, Judith Ann made a call and arranged for us to get to go out to the camp while we were in town.  We took FULL advantage of this opportunity--really reliving some of our old experiences.

I swear, this place is ageless. 

 It looks exactly the way it did when I was a little girl.  LOVE IT!

It was strange being out there without 300 girls running around, but I am still overcome by a sense of peace and contentment just being there.  I'm pretty sure that will also never change.

We checked out the inside of the cabins and climbed tribe hills (sorry, can't show you the pictures of the actual tribe hills--they are sacred, but we were there).

We raided the commissary (ok, Tweety left us the keys, but it totally felt like a raid, and you should have seen the way we were acting with all the goodies!)  No pictures for proof, but some of us have new clothes to show for it.

 The war canoes were housed in Rec Hall pending new coats of paint, but we were committed to reliving the glory days in full, so we found a way to get one down to the waterfront (note that we found an unpainted one so as not to be picking sides).  How many Mystic girls does it take.....

 So, we had a little war canoe action, which was totally worth scratching up the top of Judith Ann's vehicle.  It was a little challenging without the kneepads or appropriate number of people in the boat (or the once upon a time 15-year-old bodies) but these girls rocked it!

" I dedicate my part of this boat to..."

Of course, there was a sing along (with a little beer and wine)...

"...Camp Mystic, I [eye] will pledge my true and faithful love to you!" 

You know you are singing along in your head.

And, it's not a trip to Mystic if a few people don't end up in the river.

Or on Sky High!

Sadly, the weekend was over too fast and we parted ways again on Sunday to return to normal life.  We all left our contact information and vowed to have "4th term" again soon.

My heart is bursting with the pride I have for these fine ladies.  This weekend, I got to see what they have become in the last 16 years and I could not be more impressed.  I may not have been able to share every joy or heartache they have experienced over these years, but I can see the way they have been shaped both by those experiences and their times at Mystic.  They are wives, mothers, professionals, students, and everything in between.  They are all so different and live so far apart, yet share this one common experience that brought them all together again for a weekend of nonstop love and laughter.  Even after all these years, it was so easy to pick back up and really enjoy each others' company.  In fact, it was almost easier because all that teen hormone and emotion was out the window.  There were even healing moments, and apologies for having wronged one another at some point along the way.  I could not have enjoyed myself more (well, maybe if a few of those missing could have come--next time!).  I love you girls and want you to know what a special part of my life and my heart you have.  The times we had together so many years ago and again last weekend are some of my most cherished memories. 

Thank you for being a part of me.

Wednesday's Winning Words

I was out of town over the weekend, with some girlfriends (more to come on that, I promise!), and we had spotty cell phone service.  So, when I was able to call home Sunday to say I was on my way, I heard Delaney in the background saying "Mommy! Mommy!"  With a little prompting from Daddy, she said "Mommy.  Home!" (while apparently pointing at the garage door, according to Kidd)

Sweetest. Sound. Ever! 

Especially when you haven't heard that little voice in two days. 

But for the rain, my car would have flown to get to that little one and her brother and Dad!

Wednesday's Winning Words

As we almost pulled into church on Sunday, Justus said "Mommy, do you know why I want to go to the big Aggie School when I grown up?"

Me:  "Because you love me and would be too sad to move away from home because you would miss my hugs and kisses every day?"

Justus:  "No! {Ugh!}  Because Aggies are so nice!"


He must have read this awesome article by a Gator fan who came to College Station last weekend and had a great experience.  He should fit right in.  Saturday, as we were in various places Spec's, he insisted on going up and saying "Hi" to anyone wearing orange and blue. No, I didn't have the chance to discuss "Howdy" with him beforehand.  That's my little Aggie!

A History Lesson

Back in February, I wrote a post about how Justus randomly brought up 09/11/01 and the deep fear and concerns that came to me as I thought about discussing it with him.  One would think that would help me get my rear in gear and be prepared when the actual 09/11 anniversary came around.  Wrong.  I failed again.

Justus' school encouraged all the kids to wear red, white and blue today in memory of that terrible day.  I am grateful that the school makes an effort to memorialize the day.  Both of our kids are wearing red, white and blue today.  But, I know they will talk about it at school today, and am bracing for the dinner time conversation that is to come tonight.  So, last night at dinner, I mentioned that we needed to remember to pull out something red, white and blue to wear today.  He asked why and Kidd told him because it's something special we can do to show that we remember the day.  Of course, then he reminded him about the bad guys that flew planes into really large buildings and a lot of people died and were hurt.  Justus remembered.  In his own way, he remembered. 

He doesn't remember the way that we do: recalling exactly where we were and what we were doing at that very moment, fighting back the tears (or not) as we watch the horrific footage again on television, feeling the lump in our throats and the pangs of horror in the pits of our stomachs as we recall what it did to us, and the pride we felt in our country in the following days.  It's not possible for him to, nor should he be burdened with that kind of detail.  He just remembers the story, at it's very basic level.  Right now, that's all I need him to know.  I am ok that for him it's a history lesson and nothing more.   The rest will come, and sadly, there will probably be some unthinkable event in his lifetime that makes him feel the same way.

Even now, 11 years later, how do you answer when your child asks "Why?  Why would they do that?"

 May God bless and keep our country strong and free, and protect us from senseless acts of violence like those that day which forever impacted our country.  May our children never know the kind of pain we experienced in those moments and days.  May they only feel the camraderie that came out of it.  Bless the families and friends of all those directly impacted by deep and immeasurable loss in that tragic event.  Lord, continue to help us heal and rebuild, but never forget.  Amen.

A weekend of firsts

You may recall that this is my most favorite time of year (next to Christmas), and this weekend in College Station, Texas will be the biggest "Welcome Back College Football Season" party in the country. 

The kids are ready:

First Concert at Kyle Field.

First Midnight Yell Practice.

First home game of the season.

First game for the new coach and staff.

First game in the SEC.

Oh, and ESPN COLLEGE GAMEDAY is coming HERE!

No, we aren't going to the game (sniff, sniff).  And because we are old and local, we will actually do everything in our power to avoid the crowds, but the feeling in the air is electric with excitement (and nervousness--we've never accommodated the massive SEC fanbase), and you just can't help but feel giddy.  Yes, we will lose some games this season, so spare me the "Poor Aggies, you're out of your league now" BS.  I don't want to hear it.  Fact:  The Aggies are finally in a conference where other schools' rich tradition is as important to them as ours is to us.  It's going to be great (but I will still be sad on Thanksgiving/Rivalry weekend when we aren't playing our longhorn friends from Austin).

Welcome, Gator fans.  I hope you like our town and our hospitality.  I'm sure what you have going on in Gainesville is great, but just wait until you feel Kyle Field!! 

WHOOP!!  GIG'EM AGS!

In other news--another First: 
The Brazos County Fair and Expo is this weekend. 
We will be there Sunday and can't wait. 
LOVE county fairs.

Wednesday's Winning Words--The {First} Note From the Teacher

My, oh my, how the "note sent home from the teacher" has changed.

Picture it: 1983(ish).  Sweet little brown haired, brown eyed, 2nd grader named Karen.  Daddy arrives home from work and she dutifully hands him an envelope and says "Mrs. Elliott [yeah, that's right, I remember you, Mrs. Elliott] said I needed to give this to you" as she hands him a precious envelope containing white stationery with red apples on it.  Poor little Karen--she had no idea what was contained in that letter, the first of its kind.  Little did she know that Mrs. Elliott was going to rat her out for being socially inclined at such a young age.  Mrs. Elliott reported, among other things:  "Karen is a sweet girl, but a bit...chatty."  WHAT????  NO!  Well, this was not shocking news to John Barger (or anyone else who's ever known me), and I'm pretty sure I didn't get in too much trouble, but I recall being so devastated that my teacher would disclose my school day activities to my dad.  What about "What happens at school stays at school."  Oh wait, that's Las Vegas.  Nevermind.  I'm pretty sure that note still exists in a memory book somewhere because of the impact it had on me. Because I got in trouble, not because someone thought I was too chatty.  Obviously I wasn't affected by that part.  I have no doubt there were other little notes that made their way home (probably also about my propensity to be friendly), but that first one was the one that stuck my like a knife.  Of course, the value was that was the point at which I realized that the parents and teachers were on the same team and I was on the other team.  Hmmm....

Fast forward to 2012, first day of the second week of Kindergarten for one, Justus Hayden Royal.  After a wonderful first week (from his perspective) and a busy weekend where we had several "calm down" conversations, I emailed  Justus' teacher to see how the first week went and to note that we are well aware of his excitement and issues with being calm, still, and quiet.  I provide her assurances that we will do whatever we can to help her, but I was curious how he behaved.  So, admittedly, I solicited the input.  She replies, in part:

 "Last week was eventful learning procedures and getting to know each other.  I have noticed that Justus has seemed wiggly at times and sometimes needs reminders during transitions.  Everything at Pebble Creek is new to him right now.  He seems curious to explore his surroundings.  As we settle into our routine, I will keep an eye on him and keep you posted."

Ahhh, the artful wordsmithing of a very kind and experienced Kindergarten teacher!

So, I talked to Justus about this, and of course, he wants to know how I know.  Justus, I'm Mommy, I know everything!  Don't judge.  It's like everything else with kids this age--you start with the overgeneralized rule so they get it, then you start to build in the exceptions as they get older.  He will learn of my many limitations in due time.

And...thank you technology age for allowing me to quickly communicate in writing directly with my kid's teachers, without his knowledge, and so I don't have to rely on him to get notes back and forth!  He is, by far, smarter than I was, and I'd probably never see half of what was sent home if he knew what it said.

  Although, I do love personalized stationery and kind of miss the beauty of a handwritten note....just not that kind of note.