Mid-summer Midland Run

It's been way too long since we made a Midland run, so it was good to be back in the 'gritty city'. Matt and Ashleigh think we come to give them a date night, but it's really so we can have a date night with the grands!

 While at the Frio earlier this month we saw these shirts and just had to get them to commemorate Morgan and Emma bravely jumping off the big rock at Neal's swimming hole last year. The back says 'Jump the Big Rock'.

 Viola is learning her letters. Her big brother and sister keep her vocabulary ever expanding.

 GG being a good sport, playing 'Chutes and Ladders'.

 So while mom and dad are going to some icky movie and eating at some icky grown-up restaurant, we got Chick-fil-A!!!

 And we topped it off at the new place to be, Orange Leaf. Fill your tub with your favorite frozen yogurt and top it with your favorite toppings.

 Happiness

And the evening is completed by the telling and hearing of the Pecos Bill bedtime story, this one about the giant West Texas Buzzard. (Pecos Bill had to threaten it to stop carrying off the cattle, thus now they only eat dead things!)

West Virginia, Mountain Mamas!

I was blessed to get to travel to West Virginia and spend a short time with the Hopkins family! (Wes would say it was more of an emotional necessity, but we won't mince words!) We celebrated birthdays for both Mercedes and Evangeline, 'cause ya gotta strike while the iron is hot. It was soooooo good to be with them. 

 Evangeline is really developing her personality. We call this the 'stink-eye'.

 The girls really are great playmates.

 We took some walks around the neighborhood. Here in front of a local church.

 Mercedes posing in front of a neighbor's flowers.

 Kate and the girls at Chik-fil-a's playscape.

 I found these matching aprons with birthday cupcakes.

 When the music started, Evangeline became the 'boogie baby'.

 So here we have the ballerina and the boogie baby.

 I think two are enjoying some huggin'.

 All dressed up for church, and a family portrait.

 Ryan and Kate are blessed with the neatest two-story home in Kingwood, WV. Wes would say it was built when homes had character.

 The Hopkins family, circa 2012.

 Mercedes has a very satisfied look for a soon-to-be 3-year-old about to open a present.

 So she gets the doll and the matching princess gown from 'Brave'.

 We're happy!

 Evangeline will turn one on August 3rd, so we get to open some presents with her as well.

 She's already good at hiding her excitement!

 GG and her birthday girls, Mercedes Noel and Evangeline Rose.

 It's ok Dad, you can hug me while you work on the compooter!

 Too soon came the time to head back to Austin. I love my West Virginia mountain mamas!

We're not sure what gene pool this pose came from, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't mine! Wes just says, " 'nuff said!"

Frio Fun with the Griffinheimers

July 6th-10th found the Griffin family gathered on River Road north of Con Can on the Frio River for family time and special celebrations. Mawmaw (Sylvia Rosalyn Schulze Griffin) celebrated her 88th birthday on the 7th, and we had a big time at Neal's Dining Room.

 Jan and Wes are home at Neal's, and lovin' celebrating with Mom. We remember when those were just screens, and every hummingbird feeder was full.

 Mom was also surrounded by 'grands' and 'great-grands'.

 Sylvia and her kids, David, Tim, Wesley, and Becky.

 Hm, how do you say this? Granddaughter-in-law Amber Davis Adams and Mawmaw's newest great-grand, Katherine Nicole Adams.

 Mawmaw's favorite pose, with a great-grand, Micah Griffin.

 A family portrait on Neal's porch. We were joined by special Uvalde friends Barbara Dillahunty and Shirley Griggs. The cute kid that is camera shy is featured above, Micah!

 Our Three Musketeers, Micah William Griffin, Thomas Aiden Baughman and Thomas James Adams. Mawmaw challenges you to find three cuter great-grands!

 Frio time for this family includes word recognition drills! See how we define fun in this family? Will Adams stepped in to assist Bridgette in helping Sylvia (the younger!)

 Sylvia and Beka. Not sure what's going on behind them!

 Little Sylvia is blessed to have a Mimi who keeps the learning process going.

 Wesley Micah and wife Abbey enjoying the large back patio of our Frio rental house.

 Wesley Micah and Abbey discovered an ancient 78 record of Mawmaw singing 'The Heavenly City' when she was 16. They transferred it to a cd and are working on getting the static out. It was an amazing moment!

 Tommy and Becky with their newest grand, Katie Adams.

 Dr. John Adams, wife Amber, son Thomas and daughter Katie. We had just celebrated Katie's baptism! Keep scrollin' and you'll see more of that.

 Wes and brother Tim enjoying putting the dogs in the Frio.

 Rev. Rachel Baughman had to take care of her flock on Sunday, so she didn't get to join us until that evening. We say, a little Frio is better than none!

 Thomas, Micah and Griffin displayed their amazing talent at shirt manipulation!

 Blessed that sister Becky found two great places side-by-side on River Road that would accommodate our crew.

 Sylvia with her kids. (David always was the clown.) Actually, NOT! He is the oldest, so he was always the baby sitter, and you can guess what kind of grief Wes gave him! (Tim was actually the clown.)

 That's the 'Frio glow' you see, peace and joy!

 Sunday morning we gathered on the back patio, accompanied by a chorus of Golden-fronted woodpeckers, and Tim's accordion, we sang hymns and celebrated the baptism of Katherine Nicole Adams.Glory!

 Brother David provided the message.

 Tim and his accordion.

 That's right, that's Frio water in the bottles going in the baptismal font!

 Rachel's husband Rev. Mike Baughman provided the baptismal ritual liturgy. We were also joined by Amber's parents Jay and Loraine Davis.

 Katie says, "This is OK."

 She really didn't mind being wet on her head. . .

The commemorative shirt Wes made in 1990 after another Frio gathering. We really did enjoy roosting on the Frio, Summer 2012!