home by way of b-town

My sister, Ginger, graciously offered to keep our dog, Sonnet, while we were at the coast. So, instead of driving straight home after leaving Port Aransas, we made our way to Baytown one more time. I am certain that if any other adult had been riding with us as we navigated the unfamiliar roads between Port Aransas and Baytown, they would have found us quite humorous. We only had to make one U-turn, which I think is pretty good. But what cracks me up about me and Jim trying to get new places is how differently we think. I am a very logical, straight-line thinker, trusting words and signs and landmarks. Jim is a very visual thinker, trusting the map to get us places. Makes for some humorous conversations. And many times, you'd hear, "Will, we don't know where we are right now...wait just a minute with your question." This was usually followed by an anxiety-ridden response, "you don't know where we are?!? Are we lost?"

Asking questions is what Will does on car trips. If he's not watching a movie, he's asking questions, and questions, and more questions. The boys did an incredible job in the car for such long stretches...3+ hours to San Antonio with really bad Austin traffic, 3 hours to Port Aransas from San Antonio, 4 1/2 hours from Port Aransas to Baytown, and 3 1/2 hours to finally get home. They watched movies, played with their Leapsters, and endured many urgings by their mom and dad to look out the window at "things we don't see in Waco".

When we finally got to Ginger's house, the boys wanted to swim again. We swam that night for a couple of hours and then again the next morning for a short while before leaving. These are pictures from our morning swim. The first one of Ben leaping into the pool is very significant because it was his first time to jump into the pool by himself without his lifejacket. Ginger organized the boys into some jumping/splashing contests, teaching them such techniques as the one leg grab, the grape, the Superman, the can opener, the pencil, the Nestea plunge, and, of course, the always classic, cannonball.