July 08, 2007

July Photos from Texas

7mpool

Floating Beauty

We celebrated the 4th of July at my mother-in-law's house. It stopped raining long enough to let the kids swim. Most of the day it was sprinkling. They didn't mind the constant drizzle since they were already wet with pool water. Kaden's fingers looked like raisins when we left Grandma's house. I think he is part fish.


7bug

Eyed Elater Click Beetle

Another really great bug from Texas. There's something for every type of bug-lover here. Not surprisingly, a lot of them are REALLY BIG. Kaden and I thought that this one was particularly cool-looking. My son had no problem picking this bug up off of a tree and playing with it. I, however, am not that brave.


7red

Rain in the Cactus

This year has been an amazingly wet one in Texas. Even in parts of the state that are typically drier climates, the grass is lush and green... in JULY. There has been a lot of flooding this year in areas that are not prone to flooding that often (or at all).


7rock

Rivers and Rocks

This rock is famous. Can you guess where it might be?


7fast

Busy Boy

The kids have been enjoying 'summer vacation'. They are happy that we are homeless because that means they get to spend lots of time with cousins and friends. No schooling is getting done. But if it were, what would I call it? Homeless-schooling? So much for my plans to do 'summer school'. They are sad that we have to eventually unpack and get the Math books out again soon.


7house


Cheap Looking Cost Cutters

I can't believe the new trend that builders are using to keep their prices down. Look at this profoundly cheap looking 1-sided brick home. Why use any masonry at all? I remember the day when brick went around the whole house. We have had to take a lot of 'step-backs' from our last home in this house hunt because of the increase in prices for real-estate in Texas. In just two years, prices have skyrocketed.


7stairs


House Hunting

This is actually a photo of my kids - standing at the bottom of our stairs. I say our stairs, but they really aren't ours just yet. We finally found a house that we put a deposit on. It has room enough for my mom and us to live together. Hopefully we'll be moved in by the end of the month. I'm praying that the rest of the process is smooth sailing. If all goes well, I'll be sitting in my new school room while I blog in just two or three weeks!

Sorry for neglecting the blog, but I just don't have time to get in here lately. Thanks for your sweet comments and prayers. We covet them.



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23 comments:

Anonymous said...

Aaaaahhhh!!! Okay, I'm a yankee wimp. I would run, screaming, out of that state if I saw bugs like that anywhere near me :) I knew there are bugs like that in Texas, that's why I could never live there. That and the heat. (I'm from MI, Kentucky heat gets to me!) Congratulations on your new house, that's great news. Is it the house you show the one side of brick on? Enjoy your new home!

Rhonda said...

A house! Yea!

Let me know when you're going to move in and I'll come help you unpack. Call me weird, but I love to help people unpack. :)

Anonymous said...

Great to see a post from you! You guys have been on our minds. How exciting that you found a house that looks like it will meet your needs! Congrats! :)

luv ya,

Bev.

Erin said...

Glad Your Bee-ship finally has a place to rest her royal wings. ;)

For ten years living in TX, I always wished it would be wet in the summer. Guess it took me moving away to do so. Enjoy it, 'cause it's waaay dry out here in the East.

Your river/ rock photo looks like Dinosaur Valley State Park to me. We ran into a nest of really slithery swimming snakes there once. Ah, memories.
I mean, EEEK! Memories!

Anonymous said...

Awww... drat... we're at the library and it won't allow your pictures!

I'm sure they really interesting though!

I've been thinking about you! I hope you are at peace of mind!


Jocelyn

Read my latest post(s):
We are Homeschoolers, no doubt: http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Jocelyndixon/354094/
Lemons & salt: http://www.homesteadblogger.com/Jocelyndixon/61903/

Dianne - Bunny Trails said...

I'm with barrel full regarding that bug! It looks cool, but I wouldn't want to see it live and in person!! :\

Congrats on finding a house! I've done a lot of praying for you guys to find the right place. Of course, God knew all along where He wanted you to be. You just had to figure out where that was.

It will be good to have you back in bloggityville!

Dianne :D

Kate said...

I'm not too brave when it comes to bugs either but they sure are cool looking!

Sprittibee said...

BFM - Yankee wimp. Hee hee. I got a kick out of that. I just weigh the pros and the cons of living in Texas and it comes out to 8,697,432 against 3. The three being: heat, bugs & snakes, people moving in from out of state hiking our real-estate market up. The rest is all cake, icing and cherries, baby! I actually don't mind all the bugs and snakes, though... as long as they aren't in close proximity to my person... and I can use air-conditioning in the heat... so that lowers my con list down to 1. Definitely not enough to make me want to move away. There's nothing I can do about all the "ferners" moving in to town and buying up all our property down here. One of my best friends on the planet got to Texas that way... so I guess there are exceptions to all rules, eh?

Rhonda - I would love you to come help me unpack. We may close as early as the 20th. Just depends on what happens with the loan paperwork and title company. I'm praying that if THIS ISN'T THE HOUSE, that God shuts the door. I don't want to be in over my head financially. Thanks for that awesome sandwich, by the way! You rock. I wish you were moving in next door.

Bev - You, too, sweetie! If you ever decide to pack your whole family into a wagon and head South, please do call me up. I'd love for you to live on our street, too. Thanks for the prayers and thoughts. We have been so crazy-busy that we have mush for brains right about now. Nothing a little Chipotle dinner can't fix.

Erin - :) Like the bee-ship comment. Very cute. I feel more like a "pack-mule damage-control manager" than royalty. Yes, you missed a pretty green year. Makes for some lovely scenery. By the way, you didn't get your guess right on the rock. I'll give a few others a chance to guess and then maybe I'll disclose the answer! Snakes.... yes, that is why I DO NOT SWIM IN LAKE WATER. There was some guy that died after he fell off his skiis in the water in a Texas lake - and it just happened to be inside a swarm of snakes. I only swim in water I can see the bottom of. I know that it is a million to one chance that you'll die from a whirling-vortex of snakes... but just because there is a chance, I am going to avoid lake water!

Jocelyn... :) Thanks for the prayers and thoughts. I appreciate it. I'll have to get over and read your posts as soon as I get a free moment! I have not read a blog since I was in Arkansas on our last week there.

Bunnypoo - My stepsister is called Bunny. She was born on Easter. That isn't her real name, but that is what she went by her whole life. The click beetle 'ain't nothin' to be scared of, honee. :) They don't bite. They just feel all creepy-gross trying to get away from you if you pick them up. Also, if you lay them on their backs, they pop and make a clicking noise so they can fling themselves into the air and turn over. Really neat. They sometimes will click their bodies while you are holding them, too. My son was giggling as the bug was clicking to get away. It startled him the first time it clicked. It actually flew out of his hand and got loose and had to be re-captured.

Kate - Yeah, I love to look at the bugs my son catches. He saw a really cool green spider today that had red eyes. I didn't get to see that one. There was also a wasp in the garage this morning at my friend's house that had killed a HUGE spider and was dragging him across the garage floor. "MY LUNCH! Back off people!" Yuck, eh?! Wasps and dirt-dobbers are really great about killing unwanted spiders. They go after black widows and brown recluse and keep their population down so they are less likely to get inside your house.

Anonymous said...

Welcome home! I know that you have missed Texas greatly (and the food, too, LOL), I will be praying that God works out all the details on your new house.

I have awarded you a Rockin' Girl Blogger button. Go over to my blog and get the graphic and award it to 5 more bloggers.

Have a blessed day! Tami

Amelia Antwiler said...

Okay - if the rock is famous, does that make it a rock star?

So where is this famous rock? I mean besides Texas?

Congrats on the house! Hope it all goes smoothly!

Anonymous said...

Is it Round Rock? My parents lived there for several years. I've been lurking & really enjoy your blog. I can't believe all the rain we've been getting, but I'd take mud any day over 110 degree temps!

Sprittibee said...

Tami - Thanks for the welcome home! I appreciate so much the prayers. I may have even more news to tell the blogosphere as the days roll... our lives are really topsy-turvy right now. I appreciate the rockin' girl award. That's sweet. Rockin' as in back and forth is how I feel! ;) I am not sure when I can get around to awarding other bloggers just yet, though... so if I forget, don't hesitate to remind me.

ComfyDenim - I am not sure you would classify this rock a rockstar... but the river sure does 'sing'. Thanks for the congrats, but it isn't over until the fat lady sings. ;) I'm still in early loan paper stages and haven't done a walk-through... so hopefully at closing time... I'll start to believe that this is really happening. It seems like a foggy dream right now. I'm still in shock.

Amy - YOU GUESSED IT! That is THE "Round Rock" that the city of Round Rock, Texas is named after. I drove through there a few days ago and took photos of the Longhorn statue and the rock. I love the Austin area. Lucky me... that is where we'll be!

Renae said...

I've been reading your blog since I followed a link from Julie Forsythe's blog about a week and a half ago. As a new homeschooler, I have been SO BLESSED by all the links you have on your blog! I live in Leander and am starving to meet some other homeschoolers. Where are you moving to?

Sincerely,
Renae

Anonymous said...

Nice post, I like all the pics.

teeth whiteners

Anonymous said...

I was going to guess that it was the Round Rock!
Renae- I just relocated from Leander about a year ago. I belonged to a really great Christian homeschool group in the CP area. You can e-mail me at homeschoolmamaATyahoo.com if you have any questions about homeschooling and the area. :o)

Renae said...

homeschoolmama - I tried to send you an e-mail and got an error message. Do you have an alternate address?

Thanks!

Renae

Sprittibee said...

Hey Renae. I left you a post with my email address on your blog since you didn't leave an email here. :)

Homeschool mama... I tried to email you, too. It came back undeliverable. I'm curious to know your name. I have my suspicions.

Wendy said...

That is awesome that you will be near Austin! We are in San Antonio! I love reading your blog! The pictures you shared are great!

The bugs here are so interesting and definitely big! It seems especially so this year with all the rain...plus a lot more of them!

Happy to hear that you have hopefully found a house! You and your family are in our prayers!

Amber said...

Great pix! and you're funny, home-less schooling.

I'm praying that everything goes well, we're kinda in the same boat. We've got a place to stay, but it's only temporarily, we should find out more details this week. Please say a prayer for us.

God Bless,
Amber

Anonymous said...

I'm a dork... My Yahoo e-mail isn't my "real" e-mail, ('cause I'm sneaky like that,yo) so I mess it up alot. Try this homeschoolmamaabcATyahoo.com

Sorry for the confusion. I'm off to Starbucks for a cawfee. A BIG one.

Sprittibee said...

:) Wow Wendy. I have a bunch of other homeschoolers I know in the San Antonio area that I plan to meet up with. Maybe we can schedule a "blogger meeting". ;)

Amber - What is going on with you, sweetie? I'll be praying and will come by and read your blog.

homeschoolmama - Well, now I'm really wondering because I don't think you are the first person I had imagined now. I had to give up Starbucks - too expensive, too acidic, and too much caffiene. However, I know how to make much better coffee than Starbucks with an Italian stovetop pot! Less expensive, less acidic, less caffiene and totally WONDERFUL. I wrote a post about it on my other blog (Gathering Manna).

Anonymous said...

Heather- I don't think you know who I am. I've only been homeschooling for 2 yrs. (This will be my 3rd yr.) I've commented here and there on your blog.
I've been wondering how I could make an iced coffee without going to Starbucks. I've treated myself the past two mornings b/c my kids are at Grandma's (near RR). I've been lesson planning, organizing, etc. I just took a BUBBLE BATH in the middle of the day-while reading! I miss my hunnies though...
E-mail me- we'll talk. I'm near SA and Austin both, so I'm up for a meet! Oh! I almost forgot: I was building a house in RR before the hubs got a promotion and we relocated. :o)

Gwendolyn said...

OMGoodness, we just moved and then went on vacation and here I am reading your blog to discover that you are finally moving back to Texas, and so close! Moving does put a damper on schoolwork doesn't it? And this was the wettest 4th of July I can ever remember. I also can so totally relate to the brick on only the front of the house, what's up w/that? We opted for an older home because of this, but that has its downsize too.

 

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