Summer 2013

I've been meaning to write this post for the past couple of weeks but with school starting, Grandma Bonnie coming for a visit, & softball starting back up I haven't had time or the energy.

As usual summer went by too fast.  I LOVE summer mostly because I love having all 4 kids home with me.  We love having no schedules for a few months and staying up super late watching movies, scary ones are the best!

This summer meant a lot of traveling for Hannah, Brent & I with softball.  We were very fortunate and grateful that my mom was willing to keep the other 3 kids on the long car trips and boring softball tournaments.  They spent a lot of time with Grandma Cheryl swimming, going to the movies, out to dinner, and playing with their little cousin Lila.

Our first road trip of the summer was to head up to the Denver area.  That is a long, boring, drive, almost as bad as the drive between California and Texas.

Hannah & Brent on the top of the volcano.

On our way to Denver we stopped at Capulin Volcano National Park in New Mexico.  Last year when we drove to Colorado Hannah & Brent wanted to stop but we didn't have time.  The volcano and the area around the volcano is gorgeous.

Hannah & Abby

While in Colorado Hannah's old teammate from her travel team in California was there too.  These two started playing softball together when they were just 7 years old!  It was so much fun seeing them together, still playing softball, 4 years after we moved away.

After Colorado we came home and had a couple weeks before we drove to Atlanta, Georgia.  We were excited for this trip because none of us had been to the south and Hannah was playing with her national team.  Along the way we stopped in New Orleans, spent the night in Biloxi, MS, and had lunch in Montgomery, AL.  It was fun seeing swamps and bayous, the country between Houston and Atlanta is absolutely gorgeous.

French Quarter

Atlanta itself was a disappointment.  We went sightseeing in Atlanta the first day we arrived and it was S-C-A-R-Y, and this coming from people who grew up in the Los Angeles area.  It is also a very dirty city.  We did go see Centennial Olympic Park though.  Nothing to do there except to say you've been.

Centennial Olympic Park, downtown Atlanta in the background.

Outside Atlanta is gorgeous.  We stayed in Alpharetta and played in Marietta.  Lots of cool historical sights and beautiful plantation style homes.  The weather in Georgia is crazy though.  They were having a "heat wave" while we were there.  This meant the temps were in the high 80's but it rained every day we were there which put the heat index in the high 90's, talk about humid!  As fast as the storms blew in they would blow out so it only effected our softball for one game.

Downpour during one of our games.

The Atlanta Legacy Showcase was the national team's last tournament together.  It was a lot of fun, a great experience as to what is to come for Hannah in the next 4 years when it comes to college recruiting, and a huge learning experience with the best coaching you can find in Central Texas.

Hannah & the rest of the national team and coaching staff.

On our way home we decided to go through Tennessee so we could see new parts of the country and to stop in Little Rock and see Brent's aunt, uncle, and grandparents.  We saw the Tennessee River, drove through Nashville, and stopped in Memphis to have some BBQ.  Memphis is a very cool city.  We were very impressed by it, I'd love to go back someday when we can spend more than just a couple hours there.

Memphis

Then it was over the Mississippi River into Arkansas.  We were able to surprise Grandma & Grandpa who were at Aunt Robyn & Uncle Dan's house for their 50th wedding anniversary celebration.  The party was over but we were still glad that we were able to stop by, spend the night, and visit with everyone.

Grandma Lo & Grandpa Jim

Hannah & Brent playing on the lake.

Hannah wakeboarding off Aunt Robyn's boat.

Our road trip map.  So neat seeing so much of this beautiful country.

Don't be surprised if over the next 11-months you don't get a phone call or email telling you that one to all six of us might be in your area and want to see you and need a place to crash.