2011 AUGUST TRIP TO TEXAS (continued)

I have to say that it is not easy flying with four children.  How quickly we forget!  Amanda and the kids flew with me to San Antonio to spend the 3 weeks there.  Jimmy was supposed to be in China during this time, but his trip got canceled so it was difficult for Amanda to be gone for so long.  She was quite a trooper, though.  The kids missed their Daddy so, but we all made the best of it.   This picture was taken on our 2 hour layover.  What a bunch of little monkies!

After we scattered Brian's ashes at his place in Comfort we all met at The Hungry Horse Cafe in Boerne.  In the foreground are my cousin, Cindy's husband (Kevin) and their kids.  We got to meet Chuck (my Mom's new husband.)  Ken, Marca, John, and Norma (my uncle and aunt) were also present.  We have such a great family!

Cooling off in the 100 deg. + heat at Kuhl's Yogurt with Nonnie & Poppie.  This is the new craze in TX: create your own yogurt concoction!

The trampoline once again provided hours of entertainment, even in the extreme heat.  Well, it helped to have a pool to cool off in.

Since 10 of the 11 cousins were together at once we decided that it qualified as a Cousin's Camp.  Amanda had the brilliant idea to make the tye dyed shirts.  They were awfully cute in them!

They all signed each other's shirts.

It was just too hot to take the kids to the zoo and amusement parks so we went to Target and found a pool (it was even already on clearance.)  It was the best decision ever!  The kids loved it and we just sat on the back porch and sipped ice tea while they had a blast!

NEW FLOORS AND PAINT FOR THE TEXAS HOUSE

August took me to Texas to do a little work on the house in preparation for moving back in December.  It was really difficult to leave after being there three weeks and beginning to feel settled in.

BEFORE

DURING

AFTER

My father-in-law removing several layers of border in the kitchen.  He painted the kitchen a beautiful creamy yellow (not the color you see.)  My friend, Lori, here in Vienna, helped me choose the color.  She even painted a poster board with the paint left over from her dining room so I could look at it in different lights in my kitchen.  The paint was from England so Home Depot had quite a time matching it, but finally had success.

The creamy yellow was quite a contrast to the orangey drab yellow.

 

My mother-in-law admiring the finished wall in the media room.  I should have gotten a picture of the ugly green before it was painted.

MORE BIKING IN AUSTRIA

Our little group minus Jenny and Jim.  The six of us rode the train with our bikes for 1 1/2 hrs. to reach Payerbach-Richeneau, Austria.  We rode bikes out of the city toward the gondola. 

View from the top after riding the gondola up.

The streams that we rode along were so refreshing with little waterfalls here and there.

Can you imagine having the mountains in your backyard?

This was a private residence so we couldn't go further than the gate.

This little church was just breathtaking with the mountains and valleys in the background.  I love these old churches and they are everywhere in Europe.

BICYCLING THROUGH THE WACHAU VALLEY - AUGUST 2011

Bicycling through the Wachau Valley of Austria on the weekend prior to our US trip.  We took our bikes on the train to Melk, then began pedaling back toward Krems.  We decided to hop on a boat in Durnstein for a little different view.  It was a beautiful weekend!  We would love to do this trip one more time before leaving Austria (maybe in the Fall!)

Old church in Krems

We rode our bikes along the river and through quaint little villages.  The green was so amazing.  I loved seeing all of the gardens and vineyards.  I can still smell the freshly plowed dirt!

The remains of an old castle in Durnstein.

Taken from the boat as we meandered down the river.

Music written by Bach or Mozart (can't remember which.)