Easter with Family

the new sign at JCRV

Thank you, Lady Bird Johnson and the Beautification Act!

3-29-12:  After a wonderful JCRV send off we went to Waco via Johnson City, Marble Falls and hit 35 at Georgetown.

I'd never seen one of these before at a rest stop

great stretching helps

And I sure needed to stretch my legs - literally!

Great drive and we decided we need to spend a little time next year at Johnson City and Marble Falls. Arrived at Midway COE on Lake Waco.  Nice little spot although they need to mow!  Grass is knee-high.  Nice view of the lake though.

Rocky in the Bluebonnet field at Midway COE

He loved smelling them

Not sure what this yellow flower (weed) is, but it looked like yellow Baby's Breath

And one of the positives about not having mowed, is that the Bluebonnets are rampant! We are excited to get to spend some time with our friends Tom and Dee.  Dee was the one who taught me Pennies from Heaven (Panties).  Tom and I enjoy giving each other grief about TX vs AR.  Not necessarily the football teams.  Just the states. ha!

Our JCRV friends, Pat and Marcia, arrived here today, too.  Really fun ending up at spots with folks we've met elsewhere.  They are from TN and were our golfing and crafting buddies at JCRV.

Tzu Tzu Walker.  She stopped and smiled for the camera!  See those teeth?

3-30-12:  Lunch and a wonderful visit with Tom and Dee. So nice to get to do some catching up.  Although we did stop in on the way to the hill country, it'll just be fun to have more than one day to hang out with them.

Tom and Dee -- and Tom's bib I made him

3-31-12:  Yum!  Steaks at Tom and Dee's.  He burned me one just like I like it!!

Pat and Marcia and the Twinks

Sunset over Lake Waco

4-1-12:  Visited with Pat and Marcia and their 2 year old twin granddaughters, Cynthia and Ellen.  Precious!  And watched a beautiful sunset over Lake Waco from their site.

4-2-12:  Today David and I explored Waco.  Visited Cameron Park.  Beautiful.

Can ya see the Mounted Policeman?

Well cared for and secure -- saw one mounted policeman there.  Looked like they had a wonderful hiking trail.  We had Rocky with us and didn't try hikes.  Got out and walked a bit but didn't do the riverwalk.

Waco Suspension Bridge

View from shore

David's creativity - love this pic!

b&w from the bridge

Foot traffic only

A tribute to MLK on a former concrete bridge support

Brazos River from the Suspension Bridge

 Then we drove over to the Suspension Bridge.  Pretty and interesting history.  First crossing of the Brazos River by the Waco Indians.

Chisholm Trail statues

Round em up

Cowboy 

 And a crossing of the Chisholm Trail. Longest single span suspension bridge in the world at 475 ft.  It is now open only to foot traffic.

Texas Ranger Museum in Waco

faceless

A variety of guns in the TX Ranger Museum

first known ranger badge

wonder how many animals that chair on the left took

David visited the Texas Ranger  Hall of Fame and Museum while I sat outside and knitted with Rocky.  Well, Rocky didn't knit.  He pretty much stared at the museum the entire time watching for David.  David said it was a good museum -- mostly guns.  He didn't think it'd be anything I'd like. We'd originally planned to take turns going in (Rocky), but I passed when he told me that.  Another time.

Started hearing from Tom Cauthen today as he discovered some of my hidden pix at JCRV.  I left him a "treasure hunt" there. Hee Hee.

Tonight was the Kansas vs Kentucky championshop game.  Although David didn't expect anyone to beat KY, he engaged in a friendly wager with one of his Cinci cousins, Sandy.  We now owe her a jar of Wickles!  Kansas got beat easily.

drop stitch pattern

During the game I began knitting my first drop stitch scarf.  Loving that pattern!

4-3-12:  Tom and David played golf today at Twin Rivers in Waco.  Owned by the city, it is where the Baylor Bears play.   Dee and I spent the day shopping while they played.  Hit a couple of resale shops, a craft store, and Belk.  We stopped to have a bite at Chick Fil A and it started getting really dark out.  I'd been following Texas Storm Chasers on my phone on FB and knew Dallas was having some tornadoes causing a lot of damage.  As the wind came up on us,  we headed on back to her place.  Couldn't reach the guys, so I left to go back to the camper and get little Rocky.  Had to pull in at the Woodway Police Station because the hail and rain was coming down so hard on me. (ping-pong ball sized hail) While waiting it out, Dee texted to tell me the guys were back, so once it slacked up I went to pick up David.  All the way home in that stormy weather, all he could really say was "I suck at golf".  haha.  They were run off the course by the weather after about 15 holes.  His score didn't sound too bad if we didn't know that part.

Hwy 6 Bridge over Lake Waco

Post - Storm on Lake Waco 

Got back to camper after the worst was over to find out 2 of our vent covers had been busted by the hail.  Gotta love duct tape!

Karol and Rueben from MN

Rocky's MN friend, Josie

4-4-12:  Rueben and Karol from JCRV drove into Midway today!  Glad to see them and their baby, Josie.  They are headed back to MN.

they had to bush hog before they could mow

Oh, and the day before we are to leave -- they MOW!!

Dee & me

Said our goodbyes to Dee and Tom tonite. Hoping to see them during our Table Rock stay.

4-5-12:  Arrived Texarkana after a beautiful drive from Waco.  The interstates were loaded with Bluebonnets!  And the sky was flawless.  It was a 4 hour drive, but seemed to fly by.  Knitting makes the time go by quicker. lol.  Dawn, David says THANKS!!

4-6-12:  Today is Rocky's 10th birthday!  He says after the last couple of years, he is GLAD to be here!  He got lots of attention from us today.  Edith and I hung out at her place today after she treated me to lunch at Copeland's -- new Texarkana restaraunt.  Yummy.

Cranford's and Kathey's 15-day-old kittens

Men in Bibs

4-7-12:  David and I both slept til 11:00 this morning!  Wow.  I guess we were tired.  And tonite we played Panties at Cranford's and Kathey's.  The guys won the first 3 hands then the girls came back and beat them by a LOT!  We're good.

Gus

4-8-12:  Easter Sunday.  David, Gus, and I had lunch with Edith at Cowhorn then went upstairs to listen to Cranford preach in the chapel.  He and Kathey brought their community group with them and it was really good seeing them.  Edith and the other residents seemed to really like the service.

Odestine, James, me, and Edith

Sacked out

Bill, Pam, Laci, and Walter

Lacey and Jakeb

He's awake!!

Ethan on Mimi's iPad

James Madison

Ethan

next E-trade baby?

Then we went to Walter and Odestine's to visit with all the Goff's. First time we'd seen baby James since he was born in December.  He's changed a lot and is just the sweetest, sweetest little thing!  Handed out some of my handmades over there -- including some bibs to Bill Boy and Walter.  (pic to be posted soon on craft blog)

Came home to watch the final stretch of the Masters.  Bubba Watson won it.  He's cool.  Seems like a good guy and has never had a lesson.  Just a natural.  Refreshing!

fixin' to get our swing on

4-9-12:  David, Gus, and I played 18 at New Haven today.  Weather was perfect and company was great.  My score was decent on the first 9.  I hate the back 9.  Way too much water back in there.  As we finished 18, Jakeb and Dan were finishing up 9.  So we got to visit with them a few minutes.

4-12-12:  Woohoo!  The visor thing is catching on!  Edith said her gamer friends want some now!  So I supplied them with some of my glittery visors that we wear when we play Panties!

I know I have no room to talk about hair -- but this has to be hot!

4-14-12:  The Crimson Clovers are aplenty on the roads around Texarkana.  Beautiful!!  Edith treated us to Copeland's today for David's birthday!  Yummy!  Played Panties tonite at Cranford's and Kathey's and got to see their sweet granddaughters.  Little Casey helped me play and I think that's why the girls beat the guys tonite!!

4-16-12:  David's 57th birthday!!  He got a sweet call from Andrew and Asher -- Andrew did a beautiful job singing the bday song to him.  He told David about the garden they have now and that they planted "pickles"!  We took Edith to lunch at Ruby Tuesday's and then Cranford and Kathey treated us to Reggie's for supper.  That's the new burger place in Texarkana.  Really yummy!!  Will def go back.

knitting my way through the back nine

4-17-12:  David and I played golf again at New Haven.  They had aerated the course -- the fairways!  It was a mudpit!!  Our shoes were caked with mud afterwards.  And the greens were loaded with sand.  ugggh.  So I played the front nine only.  I hate the back 9 anyway cuz it has too many water holes.  So I knitted the back 9!  Beautiful day though!  Enjoyed they day with David.  We are blessed!  I even loved the sounds of Texarkana while out there -- the planes going over.  And the choppers going back and forth from the airport to Red River Army Depot.  We also checked out the new resale shop on Stateline, where the Porter -McClure paint store used to be -- with the giant paint can on top?  It is a nice flea market.  Kinda pricey in my opinion for a resale shop, but fun stuff.

our jcrv friends

Got the news on FB that our buddy, Misty, one of the JCRV horses, died this week.  She had severe colic and possibly a leg injury.  Very sad to us!  She is the one in the above pic that is looking at the camera -- far right.  We'll miss you Misty Blue!

Bailey and her boy

Bailey

Edith's dog, Spice

4-18-12:  Our last day in Texarkana.  Visited with Edith and hung out with Gus.  Hard to leave. Again.

Rocky helping me knit as we roll

The Birthday Girl

Pam and Ethan

4-19-12:  Stopped for an overnighter in NLR and were able to join Bill, Pam, Laci, and Ethan for Pam's birthday supper in LR.

4-20-12:  The drive to Branson was beautiful today on Hwy 65.  Wildflowers, Buffalo River, mountains -- and 48 degrees!!  Awesome. We set up at Stagecoach RV Park for a few days.  We ate at a great bbq place called Danna's.  I had bbq quesadillas.  haha.  Then we stopped by the spot where we will be doing our workamping and met some of the employees and other volunteers.  Looking forward to that and to spending time in this area!

More to come...........

Love to all our family and friends!


David, Becky, and Rocky