GALVESTON 2010

We kicked-off our summer by returning to Galveston this year - same hotel as last year. We stayed at the Moody Gardens which turned out to be a good call because Griffin wanted nothing to do with the beach this year. Cried the whole time we were there. Cal would have stayed for days collecting shells. The hotel has a manmade beach w/pool right by the bay so it has a real beach feel and Griff did okay there so we spent a lot of time there. It's also perfect for little guys as it has a shuttle bus that drives you around the property (we love BUSES!), a great playscape on the grounds, a live rain forest, aquarium, and Imax theater. Pretty awesome. The boys loved the penguins in the aquarium and the huge shark tank that you walk through via a tunnel. The turtles are also awesome. We also had a great visit with our friends Katherine & Paul Murphy at their house in Houston w/her kids Everett, Alec & Jack. Their pool rocks and Star Wars made another appearance. A great weekend to get the summer vacation feel going.

THE GREAT BRADY BIRTHDAY ADVENTURE

Cal's best friend at school is an awesome little guy named Brady. They have become very close and played soccer together this Spring and Summer - both of their first times in a league. Their class at school is small - only 7 kiddos and they are the only boys which works out great because they totally dig each other. They are only about 6 weeks apart in age and will go to the same elementary school when the time comes so we are thrilled to know Cal will be able to easily maintain this friendship for years to come.

Brady's family has an amazing lakehouse in Marble Falls and his 4th birthday party there this year may have been the best kids' birthday party ever. Since his birthday is very close to Jennifer & Lilian's (twins who are 1 yr ahead of us but at the same school), they all celebrated together and everybody had a ball. Here are some action shots of the fun. They really raised the bar for the rest of us parents for future birthdays (Thanks a lot, Heather G!). Seriously, this lady did not miss a beat - water slide, sand w/shovels & buckets, popsicles, chili dogs (!), pinatas, and water balloons. Wayyyy over the top awesome. Cal also has a new friend, Bo, who is an old friend of Brady's when he used to go to My Friend's House. He played soccer with Cal & Brady this spring, too, and there are some awesome shots of the 3 amigos going down the water slide together. One can only bear so much cuteness.

Also a super cute quick clip of Griffin "hiding" from the sun & taking a break.