Beryl

 I'm getting real tired of doing these Houston weather event related posts.  We all left yesterday morning going to Colorado (and JR to Alabama, more on that later).  Then last night Hurrican Beryl (only a category 1) came in at Matagorda, and then hooked northward right toward Houston.  

My phone started buzzing bright and early this morning with text groups lamenting the Beryl woes.  

Yes, I'm very glad we didn't have to "ride it out", but I also feel guilty being here where it is absolutely perfect weather.  I mean, look how gorgeous.

I got lots of pictures and updates from our neighbors, and our house looks great.  But of course we have no power, and there isn't even a timeline of when we'll get it back.  Having no power in Houston just seems like a common occurrence these days. 

Our street

Our house

We don't have any news from the Galveston house (besides no power), but those houses are made for hurricanes, so we aren't really even that concerned. 

Dive Camp

 Kyle joined us for a few days in Galveston and then he was off to dive camp.  Apparently we were the only parents of all 140 campers that let their kid drive themselves to Austin.  But to know Kyle is to also know that of course he would be fine driving himself to Austin. 

He came home super tired and said they really worked them out.

Galveston

 We had a good time in Galveston for the 4th.  The boys went fishing.  Just look at all the equipment they have.

Jason and I went to a tasting dinner.  Here's the menu.  

In all my years, I've never had a salad at the end of the meal.  In fact, the only reason I even knew salads could come at the end of the meal is because of Pretty Woman when Julia Roberts says: "Where's the salad?" and Richard Gere tells her "The salad comes at the end of the meal." 

It was all super yummy except for the cold soup, which would have been delicious if it had been warm.

We did lots of beach sitting.

Chloe didn't get to go to the beach, but we took her to The Strand to get a pup cup to make up for it.

July 4th 2024

 Last year I bought buntings for the house that were too small, and of course, completely forgot to buy new ones until I saw the small ones sitting in the closet.  After looking in every store possible in Galveston, I finally found them online at the Huntsville Walmart where JR just happened to be having lunch with MawMaw and PawPaw (lunch in Huntsville, not at Walmart).  

JR said there were only 4 left and he got 3 of them.  And I think they look fabulous! 

We ate fajitas (totally American, right?) and went to the beach

(Kyle is at dive camp at UT)

And watched fireworks from our porch.  

 We could actually see both the Galveston show, and the Kemah show. 

Chloe hates fireworks so she put herself to bed 

Birthday #3

 Well, I had a parade.  

And it was awesome.

I knew I was going to have a 2nd line parade, but I thought we'd have a guy with a drum (maybe a horn) and then we'd walk around the block.  I had no idea Jason had lined up ALL the things (a full band, stilt walkers, dancers, costume characters) and then we would get to parade all over the French Quarter including down Canal Street!  Jason also hired a professional photographer, but I don't have those pictures yet.  These are just from friends. 

I made my own umbrella (of course). 

And they had mardi gras beads made with me on them!  (and yes, I wish I looked like that in real life)

And here are some parade pictures.  I don't even have words.

Here are the police stopping traffic on Canal St. (I had no idea this was even possible!)

The whole group, plus some people that joined in on the parade along the way.

We ended the parade at Galatoire's where we had dinner

Here I am telling everyone how much I appreciate them coming. I think I also thanked them for "putting up with me". 

Then I had 2 friends dress up as me and we played JANGO! (Bingo, but with Jan questions.)

 Jason and I reacting to JANGO

I'll have more pictures of the parade when I get the professional ones back, but for now, this is the last picture taken of the weekend.  This was the group that was left standing at the end of Saturday night (besides the "young people" led by JR who came in at 4:30.)

Birthday #2

It was a slow go Friday morning, but the guys went off to a guy's lunch and the girls went off to a girl's lunch. 

We went to the pool in the afternoon, and then it was time for the 1st official birthday event, which was an amazing party at Felix's Oyster House.  We had the top floor which opened up to a private balcony on Burbon Street, with plenty of beads to throw.  

This is a great view of the balcony

and a good view of the inside.

They even had Jan straws!

Then on Saturday morning, Jason had a bus arranged to take everyone to the World War 2 Museum.  He had 2 tour guides lined up for us, and it was really something else.

I was super impressed with how big it was.  It's a must see for sure. 

After the museum in was time for lunch and a photo op in Jackson Square before getting ready for Saturday night, which definitely gets its own post! 

Birthday #1

 I'm not usually at a loss for words, but I've had to sit and think about how to even begin to start talking about what an amazing job Jason did celebrating my big birthday.  I decided I'd have to break it up into pieces, and just start at the beginning.  I had 40 people come down to New Orleans to celebrate with me, which just blows me away. 

The party officially started Friday evening, but we went down on Thursday, as did some other friends.  So on Thursday we started at Pat O'Briens (as you have to).

After dinner we headed over to Tropical Isle for shark attacks.  

And then my favorite Razoo's where you know I ended up on the stage, since I've never met a stage I didn't love.