Our SECOND trip to Texas:

August 9-August 24

(Yes, we knew it would be hot but we went anyway!)

Clint leaves Montana for Texas

For those of you who don't remember Clint Brown, he's Karen's bear.  For the past five years, he's been at Billings West High School protecting Mom's classroom.  He's answering the call of another classroom.  This year, Clint will be visiting Karen's 4th graders at Holy Family of Nazareth Catholic School.

Clint closeup.jpg (112606 bytes) Clint and Dad 2.jpg (76204 bytes) Clint and Dad 3.jpg (72414 bytes)

   First stop: Irving, Texas  Gifts galore 1.jpg (72103 bytes)

We drove thousands of miles to deliver a couch, loveseat, and gifts galore! Gifts galore 2.jpg (76290 bytes) What's this.JPG (67601 bytes) Gifts galore3.jpg (69838 bytes)
Karen all dressed up.jpg (55603 bytes) Karen and Lauren.jpg (61249 bytes) Here's to you.jpg (66820 bytes)

 

Dad and Jerome in the Kitchen.jpg (58219 bytes) Karen in the Living Area.jpg (52528 bytes) Life is gooood.jpg (62177 bytes) After the marathon drive, thanks to Nick, we had a wonderful night at the Magnolia Hotel in Dallas.

A real catch 5.jpg (107144 bytes)   Second Stop:  SALT WATER  A real catch2.jpg (104759 bytes)

A real catch 1.jpg (117075 bytes) A real catch 4.jpg (110631 bytes) A real catch3.jpg (68988 bytes) Cooney and the Red1.jpg (132683 bytes) Cooney and the Red3.jpg (137137 bytes)
Three bros.jpg (90122 bytes) There's lots of  time for fishing when you live on Laguna Shores After a good day on the Lagoon.jpg (75379 bytes) Four bros.jpg (91746 bytes) Looking for something.jpg (83157 bytes)
Dom, Jerome and Bernard.jpg (108535 bytes) Checking out the ice chest.jpg (94693 bytes) Jerry, Bernard, Jimmy and Jerome.jpg (73995 bytes) Second Day's catch 2.jpg (94256 bytes) Second Day's catch 1.jpg (84895 bytes)

We did get to do something BESIDES fish!  There was a little time set aside for visiting friends and family! 

  Three beauties.jpg (47331 bytes)   How 'bout these pictures of the Dunlap girls!                                       Two of the beauties.jpg (57072 bytes)                                               

    And here's an updated picture of Katie, Brandon, and Lindsey.

           Brandon and Lindsey.jpg (62811 bytes)                  Katie and Kids.jpg (67289 bytes)

  We were able to see Jenny, Jeff and their family

                                             --including their newest addition.

Jenny and Jeff have a beautiful family of four.

 Mamma and Daddy.jpg (51557 bytes)

Stephen, Hailey and Hope were happy to welcome a little brother.

 Hope, Hailey and Stephen.jpg (80565 bytes)
Zachary 2.jpg (62445 bytes)

Zachary fills out the family--two girls and two boys!

Zachary 3.jpg (62108 bytes) Zachary.jpg (63693 bytes)

(In case you're wondering, Zachary's T-shirt says: "If you think I'm cute, you should see my daddy."  Hmmmmmm.)

   One afternoon, we did the tourist thing and crossed the ferry to 

               On the Jetties 1.jpg (73202 bytes)    Port Aransas...   On the Jetties 2.jpg (74117 bytes)

The Brown Pelican 2.jpg (97204 bytes)      The Brown Pelican.jpg (107506 bytes)  ...where the pelican's pose!

  And here's proof that there was time for baking kolaches!!

Kolache 4.jpg (72131 bytes)

Catherine is the master kolache baker.

 Kolache1.jpg (81389 bytes) Kolache 5.jpg (74856 bytes)
We used Rose's recipe and it really is the best! Kolache 2.jpg (72629 bytes) Kolache3.jpg (70180 bytes)  

22 dozen kolaches were made for Dominic and Lela's wedding.

 

   We stopped for a quick visit with Mark and Melissa.  How 'bout this group of Spiekermans!  

Emily and Ninny.jpg (75290 bytes) Want to read.jpg (67030 bytes) Mr. Personality.jpg (60478 bytes) Martin Look alike aka Mark.jpg (80532 bytes)
Little Mark--Douglas.jpg (69810 bytes) Love the Mama.jpg (59655 bytes) Not a happy camper.jpg (76315 bytes) Mark, Melissa and Douglas.jpg (70146 bytes)

Third Stop:  Dominic and Lela's Wedding

The ceremony:

Getting ready.jpg (122876 bytes) The flower girl, Molly.jpg (118139 bytes) Here comes Mary Ann.jpg (116329 bytes) Here comes the Bride.jpg (105555 bytes)
The vows.jpg (97534 bytes) Mr. and Mrs.jpg (118570 bytes)

John gave the blessing before the meal   The Blessing.jpg (70811 bytes)

And the rest was party, party, party!     The bride and groom 2.jpg (60247 bytes)

Guests...jpg (89780 bytes) Parents of the Groom.jpg (47678 bytes) The bride and groom.jpg (49778 bytes) Mom and her baby boy.jpg (57677 bytes) Catherine and some of the kids.jpg (79435 bytes)
Cool Cousins.jpg (75302 bytes) Wendy, Karen and Jerome.jpg (86614 bytes) Wendy,.jpg (70020 bytes) The Krnavek men.jpg (71746 bytes) Brothers.jpg (61909 bytes)
Marie and some of her girls.jpg (74199 bytes) Fernando and Devon.jpg (58165 bytes) Mary Ann and Uncle Joe.jpg (51690 bytes) Cousins.jpg (92106 bytes) The cutting of the cake.jpg (73688 bytes)
Courtney and Caitlin.jpg (64086 bytes) Aren't grandbabies grand 2.jpg (65877 bytes) Aren't grandbabies grand.jpg (65902 bytes) Candace, Courtney and Caitlin.jpg (65062 bytes) Carolyn and Makaylie.jpg (54468 bytes)
Maw-Maw and Dave.jpg (69148 bytes) Maw-Maw, Dave, Pat and Katie.jpg (71147 bytes) Mother and daughters.jpg (62393 bytes) Maw-Maw and the girls.jpg (83040 bytes) Vision in green and blue.jpg (62628 bytes)
Lisa and Michelle.jpg (47319 bytes)

 

20+ first cousins!  9

 

 The cousins 1.jpg (83005 bytes) The cousins 2.jpg (81706 bytes) The cousins 3.jpg (60553 bytes)
Lisa and Uncle John.jpg (49794 bytes) Cotton eyed Joe 1.jpg (71234 bytes) Cotton eyed Joe 2.jpg (76011 bytes)

It was a great party... but all good things must come to an end

 The end of the party.jpg (68687 bytes)

And so ended our August trip to Texas.