Kira's Tenth!

Our major celebration of Kira's tenth birthday was last Sunday, July 18, when all the Linehans plus Abbi and I went to Houston's Downtown Aquarium. We've been there several times, but we don't seem to get tired of it! There are lots of things to do there, indoors and out.

Here is a view of the grounds outside the aquarium itself. The carousel is at the left, the ferris wheel is obvious, and the Lighthouse Dive is behind the trees at the right.


Ken, Parker, Kira, and Abbi went on the Lighthouse Dive (making sure they did this BEFORE we had lunch!):

Views of the city from the ferris wheel:

Somewhere across the ferris wheel are Anne, Ken, and Parker!

Views of sharks from the train ride as it went through the "shark tunnel"!!

Inside the aquarium:

The White Tigers! Beautiful!!

The girls were playing in the water fountains, cooling off before we headed for home.




And here is a short video of the girls making the hula hoops go 'round and 'round while playing in the water fountains!

Trip to San Antonio

On July 13 and 14, I went with Austen, his friend Beth, and Beth's mom Kathy to San Antonio so the two almost-seniors could tour two universities there: UT San Antonio and Trinity University. After the UT tour on Tuesday afternoon, we went into the city to see the Alamo, walk along the River Walk, ride a boat on the Rio San Antonio, and go up in the Tower of the Americas - with time out for dinner in a nice restaurant that faces the River Walk. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. The tours of the two universities were very enlightening - a good beginning for Beth and Austen.

Views of the Alamo, which was once a mission and is built in the shape of the cross:





Views of various buildings and other sights from our boat trip on the Rio:











Photos from the observation deck of the Tower of the Americas. It was VERY windy up there, but we needed to get cooled off! The views from 750 feet up were just wonderful, too.

Happy 10th to Robert and Danielle!

Happy Tenth Anniversary to Robert and Danielle -- yesterday, actually!



These are the flowers I ordered to be sent to them. The roses are the color of the roses in their wedding. And the flowers arrived right on time, which also makes me happy!

So Happy Tenth, Robert and Danielle -- and many, many more! ♥ ♥

Independence Day 2010

We all went to Judy and Will's in Richmond, TX, yesterday afternoon -- for dinner and good company and then a bonfire and fireworks when it finally got dark! After getting about 6" of rain on July 2 and 3, the kids could shoot off fireworks with no chance of setting stuff on fire ... other than the bonfire, that is, which was there to help get rid of a large tree downed by a windstorm a while ago.

Judy fosters cats and kittens for the Houston SPCA. Currently she has a few who have had to have a leg amputated, a litter of kittens with no mama-cat, older cats, and others with special needs.

Here is Anne (and Austen in the background) with one of the kittens. They are precious!

Parker, with a kitten:

Kira with a kitten:

The bonfire!

Kids and fireworks!

And here's a short video I took of one of the very successful fireworks, called Fiesta.

Happy Fourth!

Happy Independence Day!
Happy Fourth of July!

The signers really laid everything they had on the line, didn't they?

" ... And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor."