Trying New Things....

I woke up early this morning and was able to get in a test and a much needed cup of coffee....

The girls kept wanting to do something. I didn't want to do anything. Emil told the girls he would take them to Guadalupe State Park... I wasn't going to let them go without me!

I don't think you can see it in these pictures, but if you look closely you can a tiny, tiny frog..about the size of a tic-tac.

The park was so beautiful and the best part is that there were hardly any people there at all. We pretty much had the area all to ourselves.

I have NEVER been in a river before...ever. In fact, I thought people who would go to the river and go tubing were completely out of their minds...especially the Guadalupe River! When we go down to Shiner to visit my sister and I have to drive over the Guadalupe River I drive in the middle of both lanes because that river terrifies me!

We all started out slow and cautious, but after a short while we were really having fun!

The scenery and surroundings were just so tranquil and beautiful.

It was hot but we did find some nice shade areas...

There were so many dragonflies. I never knew they made their own sounds and it looked like they travel in pairs. And these dragonflies seemed so used to people... one even sat on Luigi's head.

And you know I can't pass up the opportunity to photograph a leaf. I love leaves, especially fallen leaves..and I love the way the deep rust color of this leaf pops against the smooth neutral rocks.

These huge trees were everywhere, showing their exposed roots.

My papa took his rod hoping to catch something.

The opposite side of the river was this huge "wall". It was so pretty.

I would love to know what each of those layers stood for.

I did manage to get a little studying in...just a little. I wanted to enjoy the day honestly, not study.

I found this odd....one little bush near the river among all the white smooth rocks.

We found a neat little area sectioned off that made the most relaxing trinkeling sound.

We spent a majority of our time there, just laying down in water.

I did manage to get a few pictures of us.

I was shocked when this dragonfly rested on my flip flop.

We walked a good way up and down the river. It wasn't easy with all the rocks and you see the flip flops we brought were not the best choice. We each lost shoes at one time or another.

Luigi even enjoyed himself. He had never been in water and he did really well.

But after a while he was done. CC managed to get him back in the water and then it was over. He wouldn't budge. He wouldn't move. He was a stubborn, mad, tired wall.

Lena found some shells in our little sectioned off area. I know this is out of order....

Snapped a picture of me.

Luigi made his way back under the tree where the water was cold. He stayed there the majority of the afternoon.

No, I don't think my feet or scarred up calf is pretty by any mean, but I had to get a picture of these little fishies that nipped at our feet and toes in the water. I think they were attracted to my colorful flip flops.

My papa hoping to catch something.

CC hoping she doesn't catch anything!

Emil and Lena going for a walk.

CC and I decided we would NEVER want this many stairs leading up to our house... it was exhausting!

Luigi clearly enjoying himself.

We came home from the river and were starving. The girls and I couldn't decide where to go...then I thought of Luciano's. I love, love, love Luciano's, it's so delicious and homey.

CC and I had the avocado salad and Lena had the Caprese salad and we ordered a medium half Chicken Alfredo w/Mushrooms and half Pepperoni pizza. We brought most of it home!

Then we rented The Lorax and spent our night on the couch watching it.

I did fall asleep during most of it but what I saw was so cute. I think I will need to get us our own copy!

Tomorrow is work. My day off went by so quickly but it sure was fun.

I was also super excited that Starbucks has pumpkin spice again!!!

I did look back over my blog to see what we did a year ago today....we went to the park with Mom and then there were wild fires near our house. It's crazy that just 365 days ago we were walking in the park with Mom and she was fine and smiling and happy and ... just Mom. Now here I am 365 days later with my heart broken and the devastating realization that I will never see her or hear her voice or feel her touch again. It hurts. Our normal thing to do once the weather got cooler was to get a Fall flavored drink from Starbucks in this particular shopping center, then walk over to Bath and Body Works and stock up on Fall Scented hand sanitizers. That will never happen again. But my sweet friend Pam told me this morning, we made those memories with Mom and had those traditions but my girls need me to continue doing those things, making new memories and new traditions. And she's right. There are so many times I just want to break down and lay in my bed and mourn like I never really have been given the chance to do. Then I think of how Mom told me she was worried about me and if I would make it when she wasn't here and I think of how in that last crazy day when she knew nothing about what was going on, she heard me crying. She stopped the wild, crazy talk she had been doing and said, "Who is that crying?" Someone said "that's April: and she said, "Tell her not to cry. It's gonna be ok." And she's right. It's gonna hurt like hell and it does and it will... forever, but I have to be the mother and the woman and the wife she would want me to be, the person she taught me to be....the woman she showed me how to be. I have to do that, for her and for me and for my family. She would want that.