A Special Time with my Grandchildren in Dallas

George and I had only been home for a day and a half from our two and a half week vacation to England, Ireland, Scotland, and France, when I went to the airport again to fly to Dallas.  Cameron had meetings in London, and actually arrived in the London airport the morning we flew for home from London, so we just missed each other by a few hours.  Anne picked me up from the airport, then finished packing and left that afternoon to be with Cameron in London.  I got to stay 10 days in Dallas with their four children and was, also, able to spend time with Craig and Cassie, and Jeff and Amy's families.  

Here I am with Gavin, 3, Mason, 5, and Jaxon, 10.  Sydney, 12, had already left for school.  The five of us spent lots of time together for the next ten days keeping very busy with school and activities--but making some time for fun, too!

This is Craig and Cassie's little girl, Kennedy.  She is 11 months old and is our youngest grandchild.  Every time I see her, she has changed so much.  She now crawls and will soon be walking.

She is such a mommy's-girl, but with me being around her more this time . . .

I think she really likes me now!  Yeh!!!!

She actually comes to me now and smiles! 

Jaxon keeps very busy with many sporting activities.  I nearly went crazy trying to find where they all were.  I'm not the best at finding locations--especially in a large city like Dallas--and many of them were at least a half hour away!  But, somehow we made it to everything, I believe!

I was so impressed with one practice I went to.  There were four coaches who did nothing but teach defense the entire hour and a half!  Wow!  Their teaching of the fundamentals was fantastic!

Gavin only went to pre-school two days a week, so we got to spend lots of quality time together.  One day, Lola came to play.  We had great fun with play-dough.

We met Cassie at the pool and the "Three Amigos," (little cousins), had so much fun together. 

A couple of Cassie's friends, also, met us there.  This little girl's dad and mother (who are, also, named Jeff and Amy) just moved to Dallas after he finished dental school at UF.  They were friends while they lived in Gainesville, together.

Kennedy loved the water, too--as well as the treats!

These three could have done this for hours!

For some reason, this reminds me of a mini Baywatch!  Hah!

One night, Sydney's band was having a party at Gatti-Town--a larger more teen-age idea of a Chuck-e-Cheese.  Anyway, about 200 band kids were there and many family members.  It was crazy, but we had a very good time!  I didn't get many pictures of Syd because she was usually off with her friends.

I, also, got to see Riley and Gavin's first soccer game ever!  They are on the same team.

Although neither of them made a goal this first game for me to get a picture of, wouldn't you know it, but the day after I left, they played again and both of them scored!  Way to go, Gavin and Riley!

After only being able to watch Mason's soccer game for a few minutes because I had to get Jaxon to his game, Mason made a goal, so I missed out on that, too.  Wow!  This reminds me of the old days when I had to get five boys to all their games and practices.  It seems like I missed many important goals, baskets, homeruns, etc., etc., because I was trying to get another kid to another game. 

Great job, Mason!

I even managed to get to one of Isaac's football games.  It was great fun.  They even had banners and cheerleaders!

Isaac played so well.  He is the quarterback.

Although we took water, you can see how hot it was by Gavin's and . . .

Lola's red faces.

As I said, they had darling cheerleaders . . .

I call this, "Cheerleading Dreaming."  Lola has already told her mommy that she wants to do that.

Sydney found some type of a plant and made a crown for Gavin.  They were having fun, too.

We had a family dinner over at Craig and Cassie's home on Sunday, after church.  Everyone loves to play with Kennedy.  She is just the happiest little baby!

I told the kids I wanted a picture of them, so they posed so nicely, but then they wanted a funny-faced one, too!

Craig's entire yard is meant for fun.

They have just added this whole patio area on to their home.  It is so comfortable.

The large black pot is actually a smoker which they did the meat in.  It was so yummy!

They, also, have a very unique outdoor cooking area.  It was so hot or we would have cooked something over it.

I soon learned that these little boys love cars and trucks.  They can play with them for hours!

The after school format was always the same.  Come home and put on the recorded version of "Monster Trucks" from whatever city they chose that night (they have about eight different cities recorded), then whichever trucks were racing would be found among the 62 trucks they have, and they would re-create what the real truck did on tv with their small truck.  It was amazing.  Even though they couldn't read all the names on the tv, it didn't matter.  They knew exactly which one it was!

 This is where the trucks went with they were done with them.

Little Gavin went with me to many of Jaxon's practices.  He was always so good because he loves sports as much as anyone who is twice his age.  He would stand on the sidelines and practice his ball playing skills. 

It is unbelievable how he can dribble with either hand.

Outside play time.  When Kennedy pulls out her rubber bands from her hair--she is quite a sight!

One night, we went to the stadium for the middle school football games.  Sydney is in the band, so we had to be there early.

Although Sydney has only played the flute for a little over a year, she loves it and has become so good at it.

Their band was fantastic--one of the best middle school bands I have ever heard!

This was the final score--Sydney's school team won!  The next grade was coming out on the field, but she only had to play until the half on that one.

We still ended up being in those seats for 2 1/2 hours!  A pretty long time for those little kids--but they were very good and found ways to keep busy.

One day we went to Michael's for some Halloween decorations and craft items.  It was an adventure no matter where we went!

On the night that Craig went to get Cameron and Anne at the airport, we met them at a Chinese restaurant for a little dinner.  The only picture I got was Kennedy eating her fortune cookie.

They were all so glad to see their parents home.  They wanted to race with their dad.  He is actually in the back helping Riley, but you get the idea.  It is always so good as a grandparent to hand the baton back to the parents with the kids safe and sound.  That is always such a concern.  But we made it and had a fun time doing it, too!  I am so glad that Cameron and Anne were able to go to London and Paris together for those nine days, and that I was able to spend time in Dallas with their children and see the other two families, as well.  Thanks for the memories!  I flew home the next day.

A Visit to the Old Fort

George and I were really excited to be able to spend the day with Kyle and Kim and their family.  Their family is always so busy--it is difficult to get together, but somehow the stars all aligned so we could spend Saturday together.

After eating lunch, we headed for the fort--actually called "Castillo de San Marcos" which is on the inlet of St. Augustine.

It was fun walking through the narrow streets of St. Augustine after we finally found a parking place.  The city was packed today.  But with it being so hot, we had to stop for first things first--some nice, cool ice cream!

Crossing over the moat bridge into the fort.  This formerly was filled with water.

The fort began to be built in 1672, 107 years after the city's founding by the Spanish, when Florida was part of the Spanish Empire.  
The Castillo is made of a stone called coquina, Spanish for "small shells", made of ancient shells that have bonded together to form a type of stone similar to limestone.  The Spanish soldier said it was like Rice Krispie squares--when it bonded it was almost impossible to get it apart.  Plus, it didn't shatter like cement would. Therefore, no battle was ever lost here with these 18-19 foot walls. 

Workers were brought in from Cuba to construct the fort in addition to Native American laborers. The coquina was quarried from the 'King's Quarry' on Anastasi and ferried across to the construction site. Construction began on October 2, 1672 and lasted twenty-three years, with completion in 1695.  The coquina is soft when it is still wet, so the workers used hammers and chisels to form the doors and openings.  Then, after it dried, it became very hard.  The furthest a cannon ball came through the wall was three feet--so it was never really in danger from being knocked down since it was nearly 20 feet thick.

An excellent demonstration is given by the "Spanish" soldiers of how the cannons were fired.  The firing took place obviously without the cannon ball inside, but with all the gun powder loaded nevertheless.

A small parade took place as the soldiers brought in all the necessary tools for the firing to take place.

This was actually quite a small cannon, they said, but if it were actually loaded with a real cannon ball, it would shoot as far as the light house.

There were quite a few steps involved in the firing from making sure the cannon is anchored with boards behind its wheels, to clearing the barrel of any debris, to loading the powder, to tamping the powder down in . .

Until finally the firing took place.  They kept telling us it would be loud . . . well, it was so startling, I can't believe I really got this picture.  I was so startled, I almost dropped my camera!

Then they clean the residue out . . .

and pull the cannon back into position.

George, as we were looking over the inner-courtyard.

 George, Kim, and Jenna with the Spanish soldiers.

 Although no one really lived in the fort, the soldiers would put in their time just like a fireman does for so many days, and then go home.  Therefore, they have to have bunks for them.

 Two would sleep on the top bunk, and two on the bottom bunk.  Their rifles and coats would be on the end of the bunk.  Those soldiers must have been short because this bunk doesn't look very long, or wide!

 This was where the chapel was.  As it stated on the sign below:  "Roman Catholic Christianity was the common faith throughout the Spanish empire."

 The ceiling of the chapel area. 

 Again from the information, we learned that these indentions and holes in the wall are from decades of worshipers who dipped their fingers in the fonts when they made their cross before worship.  Oils and minerals from their hands may have started the erosion on these walls. 

 This was the treasury room where Kim, Brady, and Jenna are standing.  Wow!  I would have hated to be the accountant here--absolutely no windows and a double thick door insured there would be no robbing of its contents.

 Grandpa George and Brady looking over one of the smaller cannons.

 And here I am with one of the larger cannons.

All of the soldiers are actually volunteers who love to come to show and tell the history of this fort.  We all enjoyed hearing the history and watching the demonstrations--and especially loved being with Kyle, Kim, Carter, Jenna, and Brady.  Thanks for the truly fun day!