Friday, February 21st My B-Day

Last night Mom said that it wouldn't be the most fun birthday, but she was proven wrong. I got to spend it with my uncle, aunt, and my grandpa and grandma. After breakfast my uncle and I went to the airport to pick up my aunt from Kansas City, KS. At lunch I got to open a present, it was a ice cream maker. We just relaxed and we made the ice cream. Grandpa took us to a B-B-Q place where I had ribs. Since it was my birthday I got free dessert. We went back to my grandparent's house and had cake and homemade ice cream. I opened a couple presents and we said our goodbyes and headed back to the campground.  I don't know what mom was talking about cause it was a fun birthday.

P.S. About my poll on the 12th nobody commented so I will give everyone another week to answer.

                               -Garrett%

Thursday, February 20th

We left Baylie's and drove to Grandma and Grandpa's house and I was so excited.  Their house is awesome.  Uncle Todd was there too.  They have a Murphy bed that pulls out of the wall. They have a cool mailbox.  I love being here!!!      Audree <>

Wednesday, February 19th

Today we just hung out with Trish and Baylie.  The girls played and Trish and I worked out for old times sake!  Garrett put up with us and worked on some assignments.  Chef Jeff arrived in time to cook fish for dinner.  Yum!  We ended the night with a fun game of HeadBanz and A LOT of laughs!!

                  **Sara

Tuesday, February 18th

So we left the metropolis state of Texas today.  These pictures show some of the fun we had being in the big big big state!!!  We drove just a few hours today hitting 2 more states.  The last picture shows how we just pull over to take all 33 state pictures. We cruised right through New Mexico and into Arizona.  We are at my awesome friend's house Trish Tracy!!!!!!  She had the nerve to move away from Kremmling since we left home in October!  So it is super great to see her!!!   Audree is just as happy getting to see Baylie!!!   They are having a ball. We'll spend 2 nights here at a campground nearby and onto my Mom and Dad's on Thursday.   **Sara

Monday, February 17th

So it was our last morning at the ocean and the kids just couldn't get enough before we left.  They had to dip their toes in right behind our camper one last time. I awoke one last time to the "hummm" of all the oyster boats that head out for the day in the middle of the night!!!!!!  I think they start their day somewhere around 4:30 AM.  Ugh!  We had one last pretty sunset at the campground last night.  We really liked it at Goose Island State Park.  We will go back! 

So we knew we had a big day of traveling ahead of us going west.  We hoped to get across most of Texas but since it's the size of the Atlantic Ocean, we may not make all the way today.  Especially after the way it started.  We got started later than planned because Jeff had to go out on the fishing pier one last time to see how the fishermen were doing!  We'd decided to stop at the famous fishermen donut shop since Audree hadn't gotten a donut yet, unlike Garrett since he is a fisherman.  So finally about 9:30 we leave Rockport, Texas. This was the longest stay by 8 days of sitting still with the camper this entire trip.  

Maybe we had driven for an hour and we get a flat tire on the truck!  Luckily were right by an exit with big gas station so pulled in there.  Jeff talked to this young guy who was just out by his semi truck about a tire shop etc.  Anyway, this guy came right over and helped Jeff changed the tire.  Had to unhook the camper to get the spare out from under the truck!  So drove on down the road and had to find a tire shop.  What a dousy it was!  But it worked, although the kid didn't put enough air in it, so had to pull into another gas station in that town and buy air!!  So by now it's 12:30 and we've maybe driven 100 miles.  Wanted to get in 500!!  The rest of the travel day was fine other than the 33 miles of stress thinking we were gonna run out of fuel.  We didn't!   .8 of a gallon left.  Plenty! :)  Made it to El Paso after all.  Long day!!       **Sara

PS  I wrote part of this in the truck and finished it now, so it probably doesn't make much sense! 

PS  Our map is getting filled up.  :)

Sunday, February 16th

Today was a fabulous day.  We got a text message late last night from my cousin, Lori, (that I just met last week) that said there would be a turtle release taking place on Padre Island the next morning.  So the kids and I went and Jeff went fishing with Skip as planned.  Hundreds of sea turtles had been rescued from the cold water in the last couple of months.  They were found "cold stunned."  The department of wildlife, national parks, and many others had rescued the turtles .  They take them to a rehab facility and keep them until they are ready to be released.  Today was that day!  358 of them!  We watched the volunteers carry the turtles one by one, stop for pictures, and then into the water they were placed.  Some of the small turtles were flapping their flippers LIKE CRAZY as they were being carried to the water.  They had to have known where they were!!!!  It was fun to watch them splash and swim off to their "home!"  The last four pictures are of 2 guys carrying one of the big turtles and placing it into the water.  There were about 4000 people there.  We stayed until the very last 2 turtles were placed in the water.  The majority of the people were gone long before the end.

I must quote Garrett.  He says as we were walking away,"You know there is a lot of bad stuff in the world, but this is one of the good things."

         **Sara

Saturday, February 15th

More of the same for most of the day.  Fishing for the boys (2 keepers today), shopping for us girls, and another Science on the Sphere presentation.  

The only big difference from yesterday was Audree and I went to a Mardi Gras Event in the small town we're staying in as a fundraiser for the firemen.  This morning was the parade.  Lots of beads and lots of candy!  We had fun.  Even got to try out Audree's new masks she bought in New Orleans.  

                    **Sara