South Padre for July 4th

We took our first family beach vacation to South Padre Island off of the Texas coast. It was so great! It's a wonderful, clean beach and the kids had a great time. They're still talking about it.

This froggie slide was a big hit with Grey; it's part of the kiddie pool where we stayed.

Beach time turned into fussy nap time for Aubry.

Grey let me bury him. His toes are escaping.

On the dolphin watch boat.

Dolphins!

Um, why are you inside the boat while dolphins are swimming all around???

Cuddling while they should be looking at dolphins!

We visited a sea turtle rescue place. The turtles were pretty jacked-up. Not these turtles, they are cute.

Waiting for our boat ride to see fire works.

Someone didn't like her life jacket!

Italy in June

We met our friends, Brent and Shannon, in Italy after Brent finished up attending a conference there. We started in Florence and drove through Chianti and Tuscany to Rome, making a few stops along the way. It was beautiful. We would love to go back and see the rest of the country.

The campanile of the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore, the Duomo in Florence.

A view of Florence from the campanile.

Lunching in Siena

Il Campo, in Siena, from a tower we climbed.

On the tower in Siena

Siena

The rest of the Duomo in Florence.

The River Arno that runs through Florence.

Dinner in Florence.

With Brent and Shannon.

Countryside with sheep outside of Volterra.

One tower from another tower in San Gimignano.

The Ponte Vecchio in Florence.

Wine tasting in Chianti.

Chianti countryside.

Brent and Shannon on the balcony in Montalcino.

Us on the balcony in Montalcino, with the view behind us!

Wine tasting in Tuscany.

The Pope!

The Roman Forum.

St. Peters Basilica, one of the largest churches in the world. See the tiny people at the top of the steps?

The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.

The inside of the Roman Colloseum with the floor missing. You can see where they contained the animals and men below the floor in separate rooms.

Inside the Colloseum.

Infrared pictures from Italy

The Roman Forum. The Temple of Saturn, on the left, is the oldest

structure in the forum, built around 500 bc.

Il Campo, Siena

Siena

The Duomo of Florence, Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore

tiny town in Chianti

Sheep in Tuscany

June Family Dinner

We had family dinner at our casa this time to continue celebrating Aubry's birthday among all the other family birthdays in June (Nana, Cory, Geoff and T).

The kiddie table. The Reids joined us, too.

Tina made Aubry's cake, so cute!

Jessie and Pachel.

Aubry and her cake.

Nana, Pachel and the kids. Aubry is wearing the pink backpack Pachel bought for her. She LOVES it. And now she has one for school in the fall.