It was an exciting night around here on Tuesday. A new Dirty Jobs episode with Mike Rowe aired and it was all about The Snake Farm in New Braunfels, TX. We had seen the teaser a week earlier and there was much discussion about The Snake Farm. Was it the same venue I had visited many years ago? If not, wouldn't it be strange that somewhere else in the United States there is a need for a snake farm? Lyrics from the song "Snake Farm" by Ray Wylie Hubbard repeated themselves in our heads. We haven't been this excited about a tv episode since...okay just since May but it has been a really WET summer and the tv has been awful even when you have access to 400+ channels. Anyway, the family that rarely eats meals all together at the table managed to all gather into the living room at the same time. (See, Scott and I are really amazing parents; we know how to make the most of quality family time.)
Turns out, it was the same Snake Farm I visited back in 1991. However, new owners have taken over and made some much needed updates. It needed help when I saw it. I can only imagine that 16 years later, the State Health Dept. was prepared to step in and rescue the reptiles. The couple who own it now, are young and sweet. I hope it works out for them. I'm guessing the entrance fee is more than $1.25 now.
You might be wondering why this tourist attraction made for a great episode of Dirty Jobs. Just like any other living creature, snakes eat, breathe, and excrete. Mike was there to move snakes and clean up cages. In addition to snakes, they have alligators too. He had the pleasure of draining their pond, removing obstinate alligators and turtles, and then power washing the bottom. His life was truly in danger when catching rattlesnakes and gators. Fortunately, Mike lived to tell the tale and we will benefit from more episodes.
If this has piqued your interest in the show, it airs on the Discovery Channel on Tuesdays. It's educational, funny, and somehow usually manages to involve poop (that alone draws the kids in). As a plus, the host has blue eyes and an appealing rugged look. Basically, there is something for everyone.
Friday, July 13, 2007
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
The Big Ten
Drew's 10th birthday is Thursday, July 12th and the celebration has begun. We visited Waxahachie this past weekend to honor me, Drew, and Rhonda because we are all summer babies. Rhonda is a long-time family friend/relative. Fortunately, the rain stayed far away so we could enjoy the great outdoors. Drew received some new inline skates and took advantage of the extensive patio/driveway areas to test them out. And we definitely ate CAKE! It was lots of fun to visit with family and relax out in the country.
We are struggling this year with choosing a birthday present. Drew can't think of anything he wants except for the skates that he already received. Today when I brought the subject up again, he said that his trip to Main Event with a couple of friends on Thursday is really what he wants the most. I think it is so sweet that he values time with friends. Hopefully, the boys will have a great time bowling and playing laser tag.
He has another party to attend on Sunday and then we are off to South Padre. What a dreamy life for a 10 year old!
We are struggling this year with choosing a birthday present. Drew can't think of anything he wants except for the skates that he already received. Today when I brought the subject up again, he said that his trip to Main Event with a couple of friends on Thursday is really what he wants the most. I think it is so sweet that he values time with friends. Hopefully, the boys will have a great time bowling and playing laser tag.
He has another party to attend on Sunday and then we are off to South Padre. What a dreamy life for a 10 year old!
Monday, July 2, 2007
Reunions
Scott and Drew finally arrived home from the Oklahoma family reunion yesterday afternoon. My mother-in-law and I were going to drive up Saturday morning, but the doom and gloom newscasters on tv convinced us it would be much safer to stay under our own roofs. Of course, the forecasts were a little dramatic and we could have made the drive just fine. Ironically, the reunion did not get rained on at all. Now, everyone claims that we will use any excuse to avoid attending the reunion. This is just a lie. I have many sleepless nights throughout the year in eager anticipation of sleeping in a big room with bunk beds and sharing a community restroom. It was raining cats and dogs here, I promise.
To follow up on the Walmart purchases, the guys did not get to use the Sponge Bob golf balls because the soggy golf course was closed to carts. Walkers were welcome, but I guess the men are not as manly as I previously thought. I don't blame them though. Eighteen holes is a pretty long hike especially without beer girls.
We have often believed that our son needs counseling. I'm not sure if it is because he is an only child and only grandchild on both sides of the family or because the lunacy genes run pretty thick on my side. Anyway, the issue now is co-dependency. When he travels without me, he gets a nervous stomach. Nevermind that he is with his father and grandfather; momma is not here. Nothing like being at the family reunion with people you only see once or twice a year and puking. I fear that he will never be able to go to camp or vacation with a friend's family because he needs his mom. Then there is that tiny piece of me that loves the fact he needs me and I am special to him. Maybe I can get a discount on the counseling since there are two of us with issues...
On the plus side, Scott did give him Tums and prevented him from consuming junk food. By Sunday, Drew was all better thanks to his tender loving care.
Last night Drew mentioned that he is so miserably bored this summer that he would rather be in school. I commiserated with him and said I am so bored I am tempted to go buy a can of paint and start painting the inside of the house. He got excited and said, "that's a great idea. We could have a lot of fun painting." Luckily, I talked him into a bike ride and a trip to the skating rink today. We've also been working on a cross-stitch of a dog that is designed for kids but really needs an adult involved at every step. He told me today that cross-stitch is a lot more fun than he originally expected. (I don't feel a bit guilty about getting him involved in a feminine craft. We all need counseling as adults and I wouldn't be doing my job as a mother if I didn't give him a few issues to work out.)
Now I have to plan tomorrow. Drew asks for an itinerary each morning after his video game and cartoons and I want to be one step ahead.
To follow up on the Walmart purchases, the guys did not get to use the Sponge Bob golf balls because the soggy golf course was closed to carts. Walkers were welcome, but I guess the men are not as manly as I previously thought. I don't blame them though. Eighteen holes is a pretty long hike especially without beer girls.
We have often believed that our son needs counseling. I'm not sure if it is because he is an only child and only grandchild on both sides of the family or because the lunacy genes run pretty thick on my side. Anyway, the issue now is co-dependency. When he travels without me, he gets a nervous stomach. Nevermind that he is with his father and grandfather; momma is not here. Nothing like being at the family reunion with people you only see once or twice a year and puking. I fear that he will never be able to go to camp or vacation with a friend's family because he needs his mom. Then there is that tiny piece of me that loves the fact he needs me and I am special to him. Maybe I can get a discount on the counseling since there are two of us with issues...
On the plus side, Scott did give him Tums and prevented him from consuming junk food. By Sunday, Drew was all better thanks to his tender loving care.
Last night Drew mentioned that he is so miserably bored this summer that he would rather be in school. I commiserated with him and said I am so bored I am tempted to go buy a can of paint and start painting the inside of the house. He got excited and said, "that's a great idea. We could have a lot of fun painting." Luckily, I talked him into a bike ride and a trip to the skating rink today. We've also been working on a cross-stitch of a dog that is designed for kids but really needs an adult involved at every step. He told me today that cross-stitch is a lot more fun than he originally expected. (I don't feel a bit guilty about getting him involved in a feminine craft. We all need counseling as adults and I wouldn't be doing my job as a mother if I didn't give him a few issues to work out.)
Now I have to plan tomorrow. Drew asks for an itinerary each morning after his video game and cartoons and I want to be one step ahead.
Friday, June 29, 2007
Time Savers
Technology saves so much time. Just earlier today I needed to download some groovy tunes onto my ipod so I could hit the gym. I went to the web, found some songs, and downloaded them onto my computer in a 20 minute time period. One reason it took me 20 minutes was because the credit card for the download charges expires this month, so I had to give new information before I could download. Not such a big problem except that we have one credit card and it is in Lone Wolf, OK on a golf course. I considered going to the gym without the downloads but that just was not going to work. See, I am training for a 5k and today I had a rather daunting task...run for 25 minutes. Without stopping. Without walking. That just wouldn't happen without Van Halen's Panama or the Foo Fighters. I didn't even know if I could run that long with the downloads. Normally I won't use my debit/credit bank card for internet purchases because we had someone go on a Walmart shopping spree last year and spend $3000 from our checking account before I found out what was happening. But, today I had no other options. I just pray the numbers aren't sold on the black market to identity thieves.
Once I had the financial aspect solved, I connected my ipod to the computer. I waited for it to sync. I waited. And waited. I clicked buttons. I practiced tantric breathing. Nothing happened. So, I had to log off and back on. Rain showers came and went. I ate a snack. Finally, I was back onto itune-land. Thankfully, my downloads were there AND my ipod decided to play nice and sync with the computer...no longer than 40 minutes after I had initially sat down to quickly add some motivating music to get me through my 25 minute run.
I told you technology is a time saver. It's a butt saver too because I never would have made it through that run without my tunes. I wonder what that iphone could do for me...
Once I had the financial aspect solved, I connected my ipod to the computer. I waited for it to sync. I waited. And waited. I clicked buttons. I practiced tantric breathing. Nothing happened. So, I had to log off and back on. Rain showers came and went. I ate a snack. Finally, I was back onto itune-land. Thankfully, my downloads were there AND my ipod decided to play nice and sync with the computer...no longer than 40 minutes after I had initially sat down to quickly add some motivating music to get me through my 25 minute run.
I told you technology is a time saver. It's a butt saver too because I never would have made it through that run without my tunes. I wonder what that iphone could do for me...
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Getting My Feet Wet
Well, here I am! After much lurking on other blogs and listening to a couple of friends rave about the joys of blogging, I am finally getting myself out here. I'm not sure what to expect but it might be fun journaling online.
Today I turned 34. I celebrated with my husband and son this morning. They did a very nice job with cards and gifts. My dad called a little later to share his wishes and love. I am officially celebrating with my parents and sister in a couple of weeks, but it was really nice for Dad to call me. I guess I won't ever stop being Daddy's girl. Then the guys were off to Wal-Mart for swim trunks. Our son D. has swim trunks but they were left behind at my parent's last weekend. I'm unsure how they were left behind since I actually had a conversation with my hubby about the swim suits and he was going to gather them up for the trip home. Anyway... our son has quite the eye for fashion and loves purchasing items like swimsuits, hats, belts, and watches, so this was just one more opportunity to indulge him. Plus, a swim suit is quite necessary at a family reunion despite what other members of my husband's bloodline might say or do.
A little later, the love of my life and my sweet boy arrived home with a Wal-Mart sack. (How a person can go into Wal-Mart and leave with only one sack is beyond me.) The first item I was shown were the Sponge Bob golf balls. Although it seems strange, this was a valid purchase because the guys will be playing golf and they will always know whose ball is Sponge Bob. It does seem a little malicious to strike Sponge Bob on the face with a club, but that doesn't seem to concern D. The second item shown to me were the trunks. Beautiful hawaiian orange flowers all over some very LARGE trunks. I'm wondering how on earth these shorts are possibly going to stay on in the water when I see the tag and it says XL 14-16. My son is 9 and wears a 12/14. Needless to say, a lesson was learned today by both boys: always check the tag and ignore what the hanger says. After the tears were mostly dried on my hubby's face, they decided they would pack for the trip and then return to Wal-Mart for an exchange. At least the golf balls were the right size!
Finally, the guys got all of their stuff packed while I ran errands. I came home for a kiss and a hug before they left for Oklahoma. Then, I was off for fun. For my birthday, my friends from work met me for lunch. We had a wonderful time catching up on everyone's summer festivities and speculating about changes for the next school year.
And to end my day, I met my best girls for dinner and dessert. I can't ever remember having two celebrations in one day on my actual birthday! It was so much fun and I am so thankful for the blessings showered upon me. I can't wait to see what this year holds!
Today I turned 34. I celebrated with my husband and son this morning. They did a very nice job with cards and gifts. My dad called a little later to share his wishes and love. I am officially celebrating with my parents and sister in a couple of weeks, but it was really nice for Dad to call me. I guess I won't ever stop being Daddy's girl. Then the guys were off to Wal-Mart for swim trunks. Our son D. has swim trunks but they were left behind at my parent's last weekend. I'm unsure how they were left behind since I actually had a conversation with my hubby about the swim suits and he was going to gather them up for the trip home. Anyway... our son has quite the eye for fashion and loves purchasing items like swimsuits, hats, belts, and watches, so this was just one more opportunity to indulge him. Plus, a swim suit is quite necessary at a family reunion despite what other members of my husband's bloodline might say or do.
A little later, the love of my life and my sweet boy arrived home with a Wal-Mart sack. (How a person can go into Wal-Mart and leave with only one sack is beyond me.) The first item I was shown were the Sponge Bob golf balls. Although it seems strange, this was a valid purchase because the guys will be playing golf and they will always know whose ball is Sponge Bob. It does seem a little malicious to strike Sponge Bob on the face with a club, but that doesn't seem to concern D. The second item shown to me were the trunks. Beautiful hawaiian orange flowers all over some very LARGE trunks. I'm wondering how on earth these shorts are possibly going to stay on in the water when I see the tag and it says XL 14-16. My son is 9 and wears a 12/14. Needless to say, a lesson was learned today by both boys: always check the tag and ignore what the hanger says. After the tears were mostly dried on my hubby's face, they decided they would pack for the trip and then return to Wal-Mart for an exchange. At least the golf balls were the right size!
Finally, the guys got all of their stuff packed while I ran errands. I came home for a kiss and a hug before they left for Oklahoma. Then, I was off for fun. For my birthday, my friends from work met me for lunch. We had a wonderful time catching up on everyone's summer festivities and speculating about changes for the next school year.
And to end my day, I met my best girls for dinner and dessert. I can't ever remember having two celebrations in one day on my actual birthday! It was so much fun and I am so thankful for the blessings showered upon me. I can't wait to see what this year holds!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)