KXAN: 109! New record high for June in Austin

Hannah is at Youth America camp in Oklahoma this week, so Jordan and I decided it was a good time to start dorm shopping. Bedding was priority 1, so everything would match. We looked all over town yesterday to no avail, but when she talked to her roommate, she was considering a pottery barn set and so we looked there and found one that she fell in love with. It's a very cute Island patchwork quilt set. So we bought it. They were out of twin sizes everywhere and were discontinuing the set to get ready for fall stuff, so we bought a full/queen. Hopefully it will still fit her dorm bed. We will buy the twin sheets separately (i.e. - not pottery barn)

I can't believe how long our list is of stuff we need to buy. Stuff you don't even think about that you just have access to at home. Virtually everything she touches or uses in a day, she needs one of. It is a bit overwhelming. I guess this is just an intro to the college money pit.

Got to help out on a film shoot today. It was a long 13 hours, but I got to be a boom mic operator, a remote lens focuser, a slate clapper, a reflector bouncer, and many other awesome production assistant things.

TAMUG aerial shot (pelican island)

Galveston has a boardwalk again!

Crazy day. We were up late waiting on our college party animal who was busy being indoctrinated at yell practice. Then we had to get up at the crack of dawn for registration. We get back on campus and they didn't have her packet. Of course. They called another department and found it misplaced but when they went over to the other building they couldn't find it again. Then J went over and found it herself, then came back for the 2 hour pre registration lecture that most people slept through. Then FINALLY she got to go in this room and register. She got all the classes she wanted, and all of her dual credit ACC classes transferred, so she already has 15 credits!
So by then it was lunch time and we were ready to leave the chaos, so we headed off the island and went to Kemah boardwalk for lunch. While we were there we saw this "cute little wooden rollercoaster" so we had to ride it. Turns out it was deceptive, it was one of the wackiest, fastest, scariest wooden roller coasters I've ever been on. When we got off we were all screaming in disbelief at the surprise of that incredible ride. It was such a shock compared to its appearance. It was so funny and memorable. After lunch we went for a quick shopping trip to H&M since Houston recently got one. The only other store in Texas is in Dallas. The girls had never been and instantly fell in love like I did the first time in New York.
Anyway, on the drive home we went through one of the worst, dense storms we've ever driven through in Houston. It was so dark all the street lights were on. After all the drama of the day, the remaining drive home was long and hard because of the utter exhaustion.
But we are home.

It has been a great day at New Student Conference in Galveston! Josh and I have loved all the faculty we've met and talked to, and though we haven't seen Jordan much yet, when we did run into her for a minute, she said she knows her roommate! Apparently they were in a class together a few years ago at One Day Academy! Which means she likely lives near us, which means they can carpool home, AND she also has a boyfriend back home, so neither girl will be trying to sneak boys in from the other floors..  :)
Can't wait to hear more when Jordan is done tonight. Oh, also, she got assigned to the brand new dorm still under construction that has a much better layout than the old ones! HUGE deal!!
Tomorrow is class registration..

In other news, I am wearing a maroon shirt. Yep. Aggie Mom one. Can you believe it?

Thailand pt 5

khom loi (Thai: โคมลอย, literally: "floating lanterns")

Thailand pt 4 - "Sticky Falls"

Jordan, Peyton Smith, and 2 of his friends

These falls are unique in that the rocks themselves aren't very slippery, but are like sandpaper, enabling you to climb up and down them. Watch out for the green and brown, though, because they are VERY slippery. Jordan fell 3 times, I fell once. The Smiths have a friend who's son died here, falling a long ways. For the most part these falls are divided up into sections, that's why you see so many different photos. They fall and then turn a corner and fall some more. Then there's a cute little pool of water and you think you're done,but you're not. You go to the edge and another huge drop is in front of you. We climbed up and down them twice. Which was one time too many. We had trouble walking and squatting the next few days, we were so sore. But this was such an amazing experience, it was one of my favorite days in Thailand.

heading back up

it just started raining - was hard to tell the difference between the falls and the rain - we were just WET

what we thought was the bottom, was only a break in the middle

near the top(ish)

another part of the park

a cool little pool they won't let you touch

her fav - sticky rice and chicken

tried reading about the place - but no

temples by the sacred pool

another view of the sacred pool

our lunch table, next to the dog we fed

arriving at the top of the falls

finally - the bottom

 

My stupid blogger editor won't let me rearrange my photos, that's why they're mostly in a straight line and out of order sometimes .. I can't seem to fix it.. sorry..

I DID IT! I just rode my bike to the post office and back in the middle of midday sun! This is a new exercising milestone for me. I ride a single speed heavy beach cruiser. That means all the hills were climbed by me alone. I would have been good, had I just stuck to the route. It's always the detours that kill you. You'd think I'd have learned that lesson by now. I was so close to home and I was crossing over the 183ATollway on a bridge and I saw the new bike trail that ran along 183A down to the bottom of our neighborhood. It looked like fun with a bunch of ups and downs. I figured the down hills would propel me up the hills. Not so. And THEN I get to the bottom and have to pedal all the way back up our main street. I am an idiot. I only had to stop once for rest on the way up, and some sweet old man offered me a ride, but I said no thanks I WAS going to make it. And I did. :)

Thailand pt 3 of.. ?

Some of the beautiful flowers that grow wild in Thailand. All of my favorites, of course.

The market where they regularly get their food. We ate the meat on a stick (pictured near the bottom), but not the fried chicken heads (top right), nor the unappetizing fish..

Jordan feeding the giraffe

Jordan conversing with same giraffe

giraffe about to taste Jordan's head

night safari headquarters

most of the vehicles there are motorcycles, this is the mall parking lot

nearly every piece of property has these mini temples/shrines on them, they believe they keep the evil spirits off their property

These are Thai taxis. Basically 2 bench seats in the back of a truck. More like a bus really..

grand entrance to their neighborhood

Erin's graduation - in case you hadn't figured that out..

just thought it was pretty

Thai farmers

more market

$6 Thai pedicures

an awesome little hole in the wall Thai restaurant on top of an outdoor market

my girl and I messing around