Family weekend in Rockport, TX

My cousin's Graig and Shannon let us stay at their vacation home, PT's Fish Camp in Rockport, TX this past weekend. It was a fabulous house and weekend get away! Chris took a day off from work for the first time in a very long time so we could have two full days together living like the king and queens we aren't, but felt like! We packed for an army and hit the road for our first family vacation early Friday morning. We had such a fabulous time and Ava is quite the traveler. She is such a trooper and enjoyed herself tremendously. She experienced the ocean water for the first time and loved it. We ate more shrimp than Forest Gump and of course, mango margaritas! We drank our coffee on the front porch enjoying the cool breeze off Copano Bay and night caps as well. We stopped in to see Papaw and Mer for lunch on our return to Austin - on the menu - pasta and shrimp...yum! And, I turned them on to my famous mango margaritas! We had a fabulous first weekend away together as a family.

Memorial Day weekend on Lake Travis

We finally had time over the Memorial Day weekend to take Ave on the boat. We didn't sail but we put her in the water with her daddy and she loved it. Chris said that she kicked her feet the entire time. We had 70 SPF on her, a 50 SPF rash guard shirt, floaties on her arms, a sun hat and a float that had a special layer under it. We were very prepared! And, we had other life gear with us that we didn't use. I was still nervous about her being in the water, but can tell she is going to love, love, love it. And, her daddy took very good care of her as they swam and enjoyed their first of many times in the lake together!

Toys are not necessary around here!

Ava is most interested in everything, but her toys. Books, CD's, cabinets, fringe decorated pillows and couches seem to be much more interesting. She recently discovered toilet paper. She had been eyeing the role in the bathroom for several weeks, but couldn't reach it until recently. This morning she tore up a dictionary and yesterday she tore up a CD cover of her daddy's...and he did notice it no longer existed. She is crawling all over the house. I am constantly chasing her and redirecting her. She pulls up on everything! She is very much into exploring her home - that is not baby proof and has lots and lots of things that are interesting to tear apart and put in her mouth!

Ava meets Rhodes Scholar, Sarah Schulman!

I met Sarah when she was attending Travis HS in South Austin. She has long been an advocate for children's health issues and when she was not even a teenager began lobbying our State Legislature to strengthen laws and penalties for individuals caught selling tobacco to minors. She was also well know for helping local advocates pass the original 1994 City of Austin ordinance that restricts smoking in public places. Yea! A girl after my own heart. Her attention to these issues so many years ago has allot to do with why reducing the influence of tobacco is a priority in our community and why we have one of the strongest city ordinances in the state restricting smoking in public places. I have always loved and admired her vision, enthusiasm and forward thinking. She graduated from Travis HS at the tender age of 16 and left Texas to attend Stanford University. After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Human Biology and a Master of Arts in Education Policy she was accepted as a Rhodes Scholar and is currently half way through pursuing her Doctorate at Oxford University. When she comes to Austin to visit her parents it is so nice to see her. The last time we saw each other I was eight months pregnant. This time, she got to meet Ava who is eight months old.

Mother's (Day) Weekend

My first Mother's (Day) Weekend celebration was fabulous. Yes...Chris and I decided to take the "Day" out of Mother and Father's Day and make it "Weekend" instead. My weekend celebration began when Ava and I walked into the house Friday following our afternoon walk. Fresh flowers, gummi bears (one of my all time favorites) and four Mommy Coupons were sitting on the counter. Mommy Coupons are redeemable at anytime. One coupon is good for a dinner cooked by the daddy - including the shopping and clean up. One coupon is good for a fabulous back rub - no matter how tired the daddy is! The third coupon is good for a day of pedicure, shopping and relaxation without little Ava in tow AND a coupon for one all night free of baby duty. WOW! I woke up Saturday morning with a beautiful package to open. It was a necklace with a framed charm of an adorable photo of Ava in it, her birthstone, a charm with her name and another charm with the letter "H". I really love it! I woke up Sunday morning to a fabulous cup of coffee followed by breakfast in bed. The menu: fresh mango, free range egg served in a homemade tortilla, buttermilk pancakes with syrup (yum!) and free range crispy pork bacon. Chris bathed Ava every night over the weekend...including Sunday, played with her most of the day and handled all of her feedings. By Sunday evening, Ava did not feel that it was necessary to come to me. I said "come to mommy", but she did not budge. We laughed because this has never happened before. She stayed in her daddy's arms and let him put her to bed. It was adorable. I absolutely love that they are buddies and that I had the most fabulous weekend ever!

Cinco de Mayo

We celebrated Mexico's independence from France with yummy margarita's and Mexican food. Ava wore her sweet Mexican dress that Auntie Christy and Rob got her this summer when they traveled there. We decided on a neighborhood restaurant that had two clowns entertaining the kids as everyone waited for their tables. One was making cool balloon toys and the other was face/body painting. We decided to let our sweet Ava get in on the action. She was so good while her leg was being decorated. She had never seen a clown before - especially so close up. She just stared at her while she painted an adorable flower pattern to match her dress and topped it off with glitter.

Congratulations Knox!

It's official...Knox is attending Trinity University in the Fall. And, the coolest thing about it is he is going to play baseball as well! Go Tigers! Knox is really going to be missed around the Schroller house but thank goodness he will still be in San Antonio close to his brother and sisters who adore him - especially his little and only brother Gray. He has a big summer ahead of him before he starts college life...a mission trip to Central America and a month of Young Life work crew in Colorado. We are so proud of our nephew and Ava's cousin - "Knoxy Boy"! We can't wait to watch him play for the mighty Tigers this coming season.