Patapsco State Park....crazy adventure

On Thursday Kelsey and I took the kids to Patapsco State Park. We planned to hike, wade in the creek, walk across a swinging bridge, and play at a waterfall. It looked like a beautiful park and it was, but our day did not go as planned. 

We hiked to a dam which was pretty. The kids...especially my kids...loved being in the woods. The dam was unexpected because we thought we were on the trail to the waterfall. Oops!  We figured out how to read the map more accurately and finally headed to the waterfall. It was a rocky hike, but pretty and fun!  

The waterfall was small, but fun. There were some wading pools that the kids loved. Even Jack had lots of fun. For a while the kids played in the water and climbed on the rocks. 

After about an hour of playing we decided it was time for lunch so we planned to hike back to the car. That's when we heard this loud noise and knew a mountain biker had crashed. Kelsey and I spent almost the next two hours helping the injured biker and his friend. He was seriously injured and it took forever for paramedics to get to him. Thank goodness we had cell service! The kids were awesome. They immediately realized this was a serious situation and they were good. Two hours later we were able to leave because help arrived. I was thankful we were there to help. It definitely changed our plans for the day. 

The kids were fascinated by the number of fire trucks on scene. I think it was six. 

After we hiked back out we crossed the swinging bridge. It was fun and Kelsey was not a fan. It didn't swing much but it was noticeable. 

We decided that our unexpected adventurous day deserved a treat so Rita's it was. Custard for the win!

It was a crazy day. We had some of our own injuries. We had lots of fun. It was a day to remember. Then again no day with Kelsey and her crew is boring!

Tubing in the San Marcos River

On Sunday we decided to do a totally Texas activity and go tubing.  None of us had been tubing in Texas previously so this was a first for us all!  We woke up super early so we could arrive by 10.  We don't own tubes so we had to rent them. And we wanted to be there somewhat before it got really crowded.

We rented 7 tubes so we could tube with our lunch. We also rented some flat bottom tubes so the girls and the food could stay out of the water. Then we tied some tubes together so we wouldn't lose Elena or our food.  It was a learning process that we will be better prepared for next time!

So early and so empty which changed quickly by noon. Still, even with all the people it never felt too crowded. 

The kids liked tubing, but not as much as me and Drew. I thought it was wonderfully relaxing. The boys and the girls some liked the falls the most. There were three small rapids that the boys jumped into or tubed down forever.  Elena liked it until she got stuck and couldn't get to the correct side of the river. She was definitely scared, but kept a brave face!  Emma thought the rapids were just alright. 

We were on the river until 4-4:30. It was a long, fun day.  There was plenty of shade so it was not too hot despite being a 100 degrees. And the water was really cold which felt awesome!

The boys had so much fun that they fell asleep about ten minutes into our drive home. This was quite impressive because Jonah rarely sleeps in the car. 

We stopped at our favorite burger place in the Hill Country for dinner. Roadhouse is so so good!  It was the perfect ending to our family adventure day!

Drew planned a great day for us. I am so thankful for him and all the fun we have as a family!  We will definitely go tubing again and hope to try out all the different rivers. 

Elena's first swim season...GO Sharks

Elena brought home a flyer in February asking if she could join the swim team.  My first reaction was no.  I couldn't imagine another activity on our schedule, but she was so excited.  And, this was the first activity that she really wanted to do separate from her siblings and friends.  How could we say no?  We said yes.

Swim practice began in April.  I had no idea what to expect.  I knew she could swim, but the length of the pool...no clue.  Could she swim backstroke...no idea.  It was going to be interesting.  Well Elena can swim and she did decently well.  She could swim the length of the pool on the first day and backstroke too.  The best part...she LOVED it!  The second best part was that most of her friends were swimming too.  Elena had a sport she loved and she could socialize all the time!  The third best part was a quick season because by the end of June it was over!

Practice meet

Elena managed to improve enough to swim on the "A" relay.  That was very exciting for her.   She loved getting medals and ribbons because her siblings have so many.  She wanted some of her own!  She swam at three invitationals in individual events and on the freestyle relay. She had her best meet of the season at Divisionals swimming all personal bests.  Those times qualified her for the All Star meet.  That was not her best day, but she definitely achieved more than she could have imagined (me too) during her first swim season.  She is already wondering when she can start swimming again!

Swim friends and siblings

Emma came to almost all her meets!

I think Elena is the prettiest little thing in a swim cap.  I'm not sure how that is possible, but she managed the look quite well!

I just adore this picture of Elena sitting and waiting on the block.  She really liked every part of swimming....practice and the meets.  Drew and I are so happy that she seems to have found "her thing".  We also love that she has wonderful friends on her team!

One of her favorite people in the world