back!

forgive me for my neglect...some days when i don't post i still try to keep up with blogs that i'm following but i'm sad to admit i haven't even been able to do that most days this week. a dear friend, vicki, commented that she misses reading my blog so i guess i'd better shape up! :)



our trip to South Padre was just perfect. it was cold and windy the first day, so we wandered around some touristy beach shops in hopes of a good deal. it took about three stores before we finally figured out that the signs boasting "80% OFF" and "FREE BEACH TOWEL" really were an attempt to lure shoppers. i guess it worked for us, but since we didn't feel the need to reward the clerk on his cell phone or the lady clerk reading a book with a purchase, we came home empty-handed... so there!



driving south from houston, we went on the outskirts of corpus christi (tyler used to go to with his grandparents), through a stretch of highway that had no services for 60 miles, (reminded me of driving across the great state of north dakota) and right through the town harlingen, which was big enough to cover about 4 exits and even advertised an outlet mall!! (yes, it was black friday and no, we didn't go shopping...not even to the outlet mall...sad, i know) and finally, we were just about to the coast when we drove through port isabel, a run-down and nearly abandoned town that we later figured out is home to the people who work on the island.

south padre is really an interesting stretch of island and i can see where, during hurricane season, people would feel the need to get outta dodge. standing on one side of the island, we could see the white sand of the opposite side. and when they say south padre is the perfect destination for spring breakers, they mean it is the worst destination for anyone who is not foaming at the mouth to drink their body weight and mingle with others who are also drinking their fair share of hops and barley. when we asked what there is to do on the island, we were told to go to the sea turtle rescue center (which we didn't, unfortunately) and to walk along the pier to either gawk at the fishermen or to put a line in ourselves. and as far as we could tell, those were literally the two things that could occupy one's time that didn't require a shovel and beach chair. fortunately, we were able to relax comfortably (in this case meaning without dripping in sweat) and walk the beach without hordes of people getting in the way.

well worth the trip, especially for something we will probably never have the chance to do again. our drive back pushed us right against the time i had scheduled for the church to be decorated for christmas, so we rushed to find goodies at sam's and enjoyed getting in the christmas spirit.

it was a pretty good first thanksgiving for these two.

tonight we're headed to watch the houston aeros (their professional hockey team, since you were wondering) and check out what hockey looks like in the south. apparently there are quite a few fights, which is what i really go to see. and saturday night tyler and i get to babysit our friends' baby, colton! we'll see how husband does with a three month old. have a great weekend!