Spring Break post #4: Let's pick strawberries. I mean shells.

It seems like if we plan to go fruit picking, there is the chance of some sort of hiccup in the plan!  Remember last May when we attempted blueberry picking but they were all picked out so we could only get a few blackberries instead?  And in September 2011, we planned an apple picking adventure and there was SO much rain the day(s) before that the orchard we went to had to close.  Luckily there was another orchard up the road that was up higher on a steeper hill and the water drained off better for them and they were open.  Well during Spring Break, we were planning a strawberry picking adventure to a new farm, but I was smart and checked the website the night before and found out they had to close the next couple days due to being all picked out from the Spring Break crowds!

My dear husband is quick on his feet and came up with an excellent replacement plan that was sure to keep the boy from being disappointed about having to wait to strawberry pick another time (we used to never tell him any plans ahead of time for this very reason, but he can now read my calendar so he keeps figuring everything out!) - Galveston!  It was also a plan that had me, Grandma, and Kirsten excited too because we hadn't been yet.  And Riley was sure to get into the spirit because she just loves any fun day out, especially when Daddy is coming too!

We remembered a picnic blanket (thanks to Leighton), towels for wet, sandy feet, hats, sunglasses, and sunscreen, but forgot to apply the sunscreen before we left (I am out of routine with this so early in the season!).  we slathered it on the kids when we got there and saved any redness on the kids ... Kirsten, not so much.  We had a teenage tomato for a couple days afterward.  What we didn't bring was bathing suits for the kids because we kept telling them it was too cold and didn't there there would be a need for them.  I didn't even plan well for extra clothes because I didn't expect them to get wet other than their feet.  Ha!  I should know better.

We also packed up a picnic lunch and enough snacks to keep the group sustained should we get stuck in any traffic or accidentally drive into the middle of nowhere with no signs of food for days. I may have slightly over-packed.  It's a frequent thing!  However, to be fair, Roy's track record for driving home from Galveston isn't exactly perfect ... I hesitated sharing this story last year when it was still so fresh in his mind and it might not have been as funny of a story to share (although I am sure he would have been fine about it!).  But a year has passed, and it's a very funny story, so now I think it's safe to tell you!  We had lived here for about 2 or 3 weeks when Roy had to got to Galveston for an overnight retreat.  He had gone the week before for another retreat, but drove with our friend Ben.  This time he was driving himself.  His driving ability is never in question.  His navigational skills?  Um, how shall we say this?  Let's just say he is much more skilled in other areas, shall we?  Anyway, we sent him on his way with George, our GPS, and together they got there without a problem.  The next night he was heading home and called before he left.  "See you in a little over an hour," he said.  I waited.  And waited.  And waited some more.  And fell asleep waiting.  Sometime in the wee hours of the morning, he came in.  He hadn't stopped anywhere.  He hadn't left later than intended.  Nope, he got lost.  Between Houston and Galveston, which is pretty much a one road journey.  Well, technically, he didn't get lost, I guess.  It was George.  Silly George.  You see, Roy had plugged in George, pressed the buttons to go "HOME" and set out on his way.  He thought it was odd that George kept telling him to go a different direction.  And also thought it was strange that George gave him an arrival time of the next day.  Does anyone see where I am going with this?!?!  Yeah, George still thought HOME was in the Bronx.  I hadn't updated George with our new HOME address yet.  So, Roy was on his way driving back to NYC.  Ok, this still makes me break out in fits of giggles!  Luckily at some point his spidey-senses kicked in, he ignored George or turned her off or something, noticed road names he recognized, drove toward the direction he thought he needed to go, and weaved his way around the glowing city lights of Houston until he finally found his way HOME.  The new one.  In TX.  Where I was waiting sleeping!

Anyway, where was I in my Spring Break post?!?!  Oh, right.  Day trip to Galveston.  In TX.  About an hour from HOME :)  Hee hee.  Okay, I will stop now.

It was a super day at the beach.  Lots of picking up shells (who needs strawberries?!?!), wandering on the pier, building sandcastles, burying feet in the sand.  The kids couldn't get enough of splashing (and SWIMMING!) in the water.  We thought Riley might be a bit timid of the waves, but she was all over it.  Leighton kept his pants and hoodie on to swim and, according to Kirsten, looked like a little thug because his heavy, wet pants kept falling down low on his bum (or butt or booty or bottom, as he likes to inform us are the different names for it!).

Here are some pictures from the day.  Please excuse the photo overload (what's new though, really??!!), but between me and my Mom, we took a load!

Some of mine:

Some of Mom's: