Summer Wrap-up 2011

Hi Friends!!!

Whew! Has it ever been a BUSY summer around the PandaHouse!! I think we jammed it as full as possible and all survived to tell about it! Though I missed blogging sometimes and almost caved a few times I'm glad that I took July and August off from here. It was fun looking over the collages I made and realizing just how much we really DID do.  Of course, there are tons of pics not included on here, but I figured some things can just be private and not poured out on everybody.  Kinda like sitting down to look at someone's home movies of their vacation a million years ago.


The collages above are a few random shots with explanations. The one below is from a friend's pool.  The ones following that are from our most FABULOUS vacation that we took the first week of August. We had originally planned a trip to Sea**World, but that went by the wayside after about $2000 worth of vehicle bills (yes, you read that correctly....$2000) AND our A/C went OUT in our Tahoe on.the.way.to.children's.camp.in.107degree.weather.....you read that correctly, too. 


The A/C is still not fixed.


We have set records with our horrible Texas Heat Wave of 2011.  Most of the summer has been back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back days of 100 plus degree weather.  Really above 105 has been the norm.  Even on one of our vacay days it was literally 114, but I just didn't have my camera handy at the moment to snap a pic of a thermometer. Crazy.  My eyes get hot just walking outside. Bleh.


God blessed our socks off with an amazing STAYcation doing things right in our own neck of the woods and we were super relieved to know that we would NOT being walking around looking for Shamu** while sweating to death.

This was my first time to experience Medieval**Times and I couldn't have loved it more! So fun!

Yes, me...white skinned momma that burns in lamp light took our girls to a water park.  I had a blast!!! They did too and this was a great day followed up by a nap and then a trip to a Japanese Hibachi grill for dinner.

I thought the sign was just boasting like all businesses do that their product is "the best" so I rolled my eyes and said, "yeah, right."


I'm not kidding.


Milwaukee Joe's*.


I think I might have fallen on the floor because this WAS THE BEST ICE CREAM I've ever tasted. And I've had a lot of ice cream in my life.


Below...we dined at a food court in a mall just because it was fun and ended up stopping at the Godiva** store for these gems.  Let me just say that I have NEVER been impressed with the chocolate from here.  Give me Lindt* truffles, Dove* bites, Hershey*s BLISS or Ghirardelli* squares ANY DAY of the week and they will be divine treats for my tongue.  Godiva*?? eh.

As if our wonderful vacation wasn't filled enough, we got home and our dears friends asked us to join them on their boat for a Saturday morning cruise on the lake.  It just couldn't have been any better!! It truly was the cherry on top of a perfect vacay. (Don't get too jealous, though.....there were plenty of times that the girls got in trouble and that's never fun for anyone).

Yes, I know that I look less than stellar on that float and that my hair looks more like a little helmet than hair, but I have NEVER been pulled on one of those behind a fast boat and I am so proud that I did that! It was so fun to be on the boat and watch both PandaGirl and PandaJOY ride on the float with their Daddy!!

**********

Not a lot has happened in the way of PandaJOY's case.  The birth father appealed and we are in that nasty, long, good-for-nothing process.  We have moved on as a family of four trusting that the Lord is allowing all of this mind-numbing mess for His purposes.


In seven months we have ALL grown tremendously because of PJ entering our daily life.


I won't lie or pretend.


It has been so incredibly hard and challenging, but coming out on this side of the growing pain....I'm feeling blessed, empowered and humbled to be called the mom of these two beautiful girls.  How did He choose me to be their guidance when I have so very much to learn myself?  I'll never know.


I will be happy to be blogging again and can't wait to see FALL coming so soon!!!

I NEED A 

PUMPKIN 

AND 

COOLER WEATHER!!!