The view from our kitchen table

The American Alligator - not so rare or endangered in Florida!

The picture isn't very good (You can click on it to enlarge it some). There ARE, though, some good reasons for that:

1. We don't have a camera with any kind of zoom. (I think this may instantly label us as "bad" parents because I've noticed that all the "good" parents have really fabulous cameras and editing software. I'm guessing Reed and Cass will survive.)

2. I refuse to creep any closer or go to the other side of the pond...It is an alligator after all.

I do, though, enjoy seeing him each morning as he suns himself (It could be a female...I'm using the universal him.) and then he spends the rest of the day in the water at the edge of the pond.

No, the kids don't play in the backyard much - mostly because there is NO shade back there so they prefer the front yard.

He really isn't very big in terms of an alligator - maybe 5 feet. That never really makes my mom feel any better.

Spring Break - Harlingen

After we spent a great weekend in San Antonio, we headed south to my parent's house in Harlingen. We were celebrating my Dad's retirement and ending the week with Easter. Needless-to-say, we had a wonderful visit!!!

The happiest kid in the world.
The happiest kid in the world and his very happy Dad!

Laura, Cassidy and Vivian on the pipe.

(My siblings, friends and I spent MANY happy hours playing on this very

pipe!)

Reed and Colten in the pipe, Hallie and Vivian on the pipe and Cass
observing the pipe.

Dad's Retirement Brunch in Mom's backyard gardens.

The ceremonial "cutting of the tie" to symbolize the end of Dad's

supervisor years.

Dad

Ready to hunt eggs.

Please note that we slowed down the 3 oldest kids by giving them little tiny baskets they had to fill, run back, dump into their big baskets and then run back for more eggs.

Happy kids in their jammies

Happy kids all ready for church!

Spring Break - San Antonio

We had quite a whirlwind Spring Break and we LOVED every minute of it! We had a great time visiting with our WHOLE family over the week and a half we were in Texas. The hardest part was getting home and jumping immediately back into "real" life!

Aunt Becky with the kids on the grounds of the Alamo.

In case you can't tell, Reed is brandishing a knife...surprising, I know!

The beautiful Texas bluebonnets!

Cassidy and Uncle Mark at Casa Rio on the Riverwalk.

Oh yes, we did! Team Blankinship taking a family

picture in front of the Alamo.

A nice,but windy, Blankinship family picture.

As you can see, the newest Blankinship had not quite made her appearance yet.

She waited until Aunt Arwen returned to Florida. We are

already counting the months until we can see little Marin face to face!

Our next stop...aka - the next post - Harlingen!