The Kennett's Texas Style 2011: Summer!

I said before it is hard to believe we have been back in the US for 6 months already. We are loving every minute of it! We loved our time away and would do it again but for now being home is beautiful! We are loving seeing friends, family and getting to do activities we have missed; swimming, going to the lake, water skiing, bike riding, sprinklers, and on & on. We had amazing opportunities in Aberdeen as well but what fun to mix it all up for a bit! I have officially changed the blog to the 'Texas' theme!

I am so behind on my blogs but for good reason and will be playing catch up for a bit! I loved writing about the London Marathon. Now it is time to focus back on the Kennett Kiddos! I am hoping for a goal of one a day until I am caught up. We have had an amazing summer and I have lots of pictures to update! Having all kids 3 and over has helped so much with fun and traveling. It makes such a difference. They are all pretty much up for anything but I can see that changing as they get older so I am going to live it up for now!

A good place to start 4th of July! We have unintentionally made it a tradition to visit family in Nebraska now for 4 years over the 4th. I have written about it in posts before. We LOVE going. A small town of 2500, the town has one major traffic light, I can run from one end of it to another! I grew up spending major portions of my summer with my grandparents here. It is an absolute blessing and pure joy to see my kids doing exactly as I did at this age. Countless hours at the lake, playing dress up with my mom's, aunt's and Nannie's dressy clothes, Front Street, pools, playing tag, fireworks, and best of all FAMILY!

This 4th was more of the same! We had a blast and the pictures will show it! I also love running here! You can run in 75 degree weather at 8 am, little traffic, long hills with gravel, crazy but mile repeats around the cemetery, an awesome baseball field for speed work and the best thing; you put your running shoes on and run out the front door! It reminded me of Aberdeen... most of the runs I did were from my front door. Although I have found some great running groups in Houston that I am loving I do miss just running out your front door on most days!

Enjoy the pics there is a lot of them and more to come... can't believe summer is almost over although my kids could use a major break from each other.

One thing is for sure cowboy boots are a must in Texas. Funny enough Nebraska was the best place to find them! I laughed walking down the stairs one morning at my grandparents and seeing this... being back in the US I have remembered some lost loves - the lake - I love absolutely everything about it (boats, skiing, drinking coffee on the dock, it stirs my soul) and my other is love for that down home country feel whether I am visiting my grandparents, listening to country music, cowboy hats... I love it and had totally forgotten that about myself. My other new found love since being back is running groups whether it be long runs, easy runs, killer hills and speed work I am loving being apart of them! Aberdeen proved to us that we enjoy living close to the city as well and I am loving it just as much in Houston. Not sure it will be long term but I love it now and will enjoy it while it lasts!

We are ready for Texas Day at school this year... not long after we moved here I got a note home from school about Texas Day. I was running around trying to throw together outfits the night before. This year we are ready!!!

The LAKE... hours and hours spent here! We are so lucky to be able to enjoy it in Nebraska as well as Texas!

I love this girl.... everyday is like this with her... silly!

Cousins... ahhhh

Asia took this...another ahhhh!

My reader... she is such a book worm! We had all these old books at the lake from when we were young and she read every one of them!

The Mule... we didn't' have one of these when I was young. Everyone wants a ride on the Mule!

IPADS.... just before we left the kids were introduced to an IPAD. I feel old saying this but jeez can they pick up technology fast. My kids don't have video games or anything and they had this thing figured out in a couple of hours!

Mommy and Daddy got to have a little fun too with my cousins~

I love that man.... more and more everyday!

Cousins = FUN!

Good ole' 4th of July.... easy to figure out what is going on here!

2nd cousins...

Look at all that green beautiful land and those adorable little girls too!

The fam...

The fam and Nannie...

Melt my heart... Sierra and Gangs!

My grandparents with all the Great-GranchildrenAA!

Another melt my heart.... Nannie and Sierra on a walk to see the dogs...

The morning TV zone... those green pillows are exactly where I propped my head at Asia's age watching morning cartoons. It seems so silly and so absolutely huge to me. It is so true how with each year life becomes that much better, that much more special. Yes, somedays are so dang hard and getting caught up in all the list of things to do is so easy but I am going to try and give it up to The One Above each and everyday so I don't miss a thing. I want to stop missing out and looking back instead of looking forward. I want to be here right now wherever that might be.

The old school house...

Mansion On The Hill... I loved this place as a kid. This was the first time for my kiddos. They said it reminded them of the old castles in Scotland!

They were able to try on some old furs in the mansion!

Sitting proper in the old school house!

Good Ole Boot Hill....

The Old Pioneer Trail went straight through Ogallala and it was a big trading post as well as cemetery for a lot of cowboys heading west!

A trip to Ogallala would not be the same without a Front Street dinner and show!

Ride em' Cowboy...

Britt and I

Going on stage to get their sheriff badges! Sierra was adorable. She didn't want to miss out but sat up there with a face 'I'm not so sure about this but no way am I not doing it if Asia and Dakota are'... that is basically the story of everyday! That girl goes for anything and everything and usually loves every minute of it. She can scare her brother & sister silly... it cracks me up!

So proud with the show girls....

Dakota was absolutely terrified the two last summer's... he cried and screamed and wanted to leave. I sat outside with him for most of it. This year he was SO into it.... even during the pretend gun shots!

The train museum!

We had a entire fun park to ourselves one day! One thing about small towns! Two high school boys were working the fun area. They basically went from ride to ride with us turning it on or whatever needed be. Dakota was very amazed that there weren't any lines. It was hilarious! We did go-cars, bumper boats, mini golf and the train...