keeping cool- veteran's memorial pool

I've been reading a lot of blogs and Yelp reviews to find fun things to do this summer, so I thought I'd try MY hand at writing a "review" type "blog" about our latest adventure!

Summer is upon us here in central Texas and that means the temperature is on the rise!  We had a steady week of 100+ temps, but then this week we were in the high 90's - like ya' know 99....

Due to the fact that we will soon be paying $1400 a month for our apartment and they still can't seem to pay someone to keep the pool clean (when Jason went to check it out last night, he couldn't see the legs of the guy swimming in it, it was so cloudy) I am on the hunt for the perfect pool.

The perfect pool would be entertaining to all 4 of my kids, not too boring for the older 2 (a few fountains springing up out of the ground keeps them occupied for only so long,) adventurous enough for Liam (he likes to jump off of stuff...) and yet mild enough that I don't have to hold Finn the entire time without fear of him drowning.  He may only be 14 months old, but he weighs enough that my arms get tired of constantly carrying him around.  Oh and of course it would be free.  :)

Veteran's Memorial Pool located up here in Cedar Park gets 3 out of those 4 "perfects." While it's not free, it cost $18 for all 6 of us to get in, it was a major hit with all 5 of my kids!  Oh wait, I guess that technically Jason isn't a kid, but he still had fun.

Finn was able to stand or crawl through about half of the "kiddie" pool and he enjoyed having some freedom while still being close to mom or dad.

Liam was ALL over the place, they have a ton of lifeguards that keep a very good eye on things, so I wasn't panicking over the fact that I physically couldn't keep an eye on him the entire time.

Katie spent her time alternating between the high dive and the slide.

And Evie really seemed to enjoy the floating-log-rope-bridge thing.

In addition to all of these fun things I've pictured, they also had water basketball and an area for plain old swimming.  By the playscape the surface was very beachy and had a gradual slope into the deeper parts of the pool, there were gentle fountains here for the super little ones.  There was also a separate mini slide apart from the one on the playscape.  My goodness there was a lot to do here!  (And when you get tired there were covered areas with picnic tables or sunny lounge chairs to lay on.)

The best part of this pool however was the giant bucket on top of the playscape!  It would fill up and then tip over and dump on the suspecting and unsuspecting alike!  (Do be warned that very little kids could get flattened by this sucker.)

Finn wasn't the biggest fan of the bucket...

Liam was though!

I think that Veteran's Memorial Pool was a hit and I'm sure we'll be back.

Stay tuned for another "what to do in Austin" type review of whatever water hole we visit next!

fun times in austin!

We are finding that there is a lot of free or low cost things to do here in Austin.  Or they are food related and since you've got to eat....

One thing that we discovered is the Williamson County Park. It's 800 acres and has tennis courts, a track and field, soccer fields, a disc golf course, a train that runs the whole property and a super cool splash pad.

We've gone about 4 times out to the splash pad, it's $1 per person, but so worth the price.  This last Saturday we went for a few hours, took our lunch and just hung out.  It was the most relaxing, fun, easy going day.  It's supposed to shut down this week for "winter" which blows my mind as it's still in the 90's here.  But the pool at our apartment is still open, so we'll just go over there for a cool off if we need to!

Here are some pictures of the Quarry Splash Pad!

On one side you have the water area....

And on the other, the sandy area!

A cool rock slide!

one month

Sunday, July 31st- we move everything we own out of our duplex and into a storage unit. Jason, myself, as well as John and Connie Pringle- clean, paint, clean, move more stuff, clean, fix holes in wall, clean.... all on this day.

August 1st-6th- all 6 of us live with my parents for a week at their home which is in the process of being sold. Only rough day was when it was being inspected and I had to be out with all the kids from 9am to 2pm. My day was so crazy that I was gone from 8am to 5pm. I've never gone up and down Putt HIll so many times.

Saturday, August 6th- we drive to Durango and get our moving truck and trailer. We drive back and Jason helps load the truck for an hour before he drives back to Durango to take his Journeyman Plumbing License test. My dad and I, along with 6 wonderful friends finish loading the truck in a few hours. Jason and Dad finish loading the van on the trailer that evening.

Sunday, August 7th- we leave at 7am for Austin, Texas.

Monday, August 8th- we arrive at 7am in Austin, Texas.

Feels like the longest 24 hours of my life.

Monday, August 8th- we check into our one room, extended stay motel. It's not all it's supposed to be.

Tuesday, August 10th (morning)- we move everything we own into a storage unit. Again.
Tuesday, August 10th (afternoon)- Jason interviews with Radiant Plumbing for a permanent position.

Wednesday, August 11th- we drive around looking at apartments and find one that has an opening in 3 days. All the others have no availability for weeks.  I decide that now is a good time to get a nasty head cold.

Thursday, August 12th- Jason interviews twice more on this same day and gets the job!  Liz and Jamie take us out to dinner to celebrate!

Friday, August 13th- Jason starts his new job at 7am. So he leaves the hotel at 6:30am.

Saturday, August 14th- we sign a lease for our new apartment!

Wednesday, August 17th- Jason is at work, I move everything out of the motel and into our new apartment. The kids and I go to Target and get Katie a cake as it's her 9th birthday today. Liz and Jamie  come to have cake and pizza in honor of Katie and then Jason and Jamie move all the really heavy stuff out of storage.

Thursday, August 18th- I get up, get ready and take all the kids to register the girls for school. Find out they are short one immunization shot each and we go get that at the "ready clinic." Go back to the school to finish registering them. Go back again (by myself with all 4 kids) to the school that night for "open house" to meet the girls teachers and see where their classes are. Finn starts screaming in Evie's class- I am super embarrassed.

Friday, August 19th- it's tax free weekend! We go shopping for school supplies. Jason moves more stuff at night.

Saturday, August 20th- still tax free, so we go shopping for school clothes. Jason moves more stuff at night.

Monday, August 22nd- at 7:30am Katie starts 4th grade, Evie starts 1st. Jason finally finishes getting things over to the apartment that night.

Tuesday, August 23rd- I sit around with Finn and Liam watching movies.... all day. Fast food for dinner.

August 24th - September 2nd- Life happens. It includes me throwing my back out and finding a new chiropractor.

Saturday, September 3rd- we move half of what we own from a large storage unit, to a smaller storage unit. I hate moving.

Monday, September 5th- we take a day off and go have fun at Barton Springs with Liz and Jamie.  We have officially been in Texas for a month.

welcome to texas

I am reminded of Philippians 4:13 this morning, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

We left Colorado at 7:30am on Sunday morning and we arrived in Cedar Park, Texas at 7am on Monday morning.  You do the math.....

The truck was so slow.  Finn was great, Evie and Liam were tolerable.  Katie was a huge help.  We didn't stop for a whole lot of sleep - I took 3, 30 minute naps on the way down.  Whenever I couldn't keep my eyes open I called Jason and told him we needed to pull over.  He drinks all those energy things, but I can't handle them so I have to rest.  But it still just took us forever to get here.

Once we came into town, I thought Jason missed the exit and pulled off - but Jason didn't see me or hear me calling on the phone and went right on by.  So now we were separated in early morning rush hour traffic in a city that neither of us is familiar with.  Me on the brink of absolute exhaustion and with no map to even try and find Jason at the other exit.  It took us almost 30 minutes to find each other and then another 45 to find the hotel as we kept getting turned around.  We finally got to the extended stay place we were booked at and got to our room.

I told Jason that being cheap in this instance was obviously the wrong thing to do.  The pictures on the web site were way misleading and the "fully stocked" kitchen, has one pan/pot thing, 2 forks, 1 dinner knife, 2 bowls, 2 plates, 3 cups, one dish towel, a small cutting board, a small serrated knife, a spatula and a can opener.  I thought there would be more than one towel, a few pots and pans, utensils and at least 4- bowls, plates, cups and silverware.  I am making a list of things that need to come over from the truck, when it gets unpacked tomorrow and trying to decide if it’s worth it to get all the stuff we’d need to stay here and make it function or not.

To top off our morning, Jason called to set up his interview time with the company interested in him here in Cedar Park and the guy he's been in contact with is out of the office today.   One of the main reasons we kept trucking last night was because Jason told them he'd be here today and they said call and come interview right away once we were here. 

We are in a complete holding pattern till Jason gets a job.  We can’t apply for an apartment till he gets a job- we have to provide proof of income. We can’t get a mail box till we get an physical address. We can’t get a drivers license till we have an address.  We can’t register kids for school, till we have both a drivers license an address.

I am beyond frustrated.  I have no idea what God’s plan is.  But things seem to be getting harder (if that’s possible) rather than easier and it’s very depressing.

Up until this morning, I felt a peace about being here.  Getting lost by myself (while completely exhausted) with 4 tired & hungry kids kids, driving for 24hrs. with little sleep, getting to a hotel that’s not equipped for our needs, then Jason not even being able to interview today sort of destroyed that peace. 

I will feel soooo much better if Jason can start working and we can find a place to live – in the next two weeks before school starts.  Those are my main prayers right now.  Please join with me in for those requests.

Thank you all for your support in this move!!!  From the gift cards and cash, to the prayers and scriptures, to the moving and cleaning help.  We love you all and miss you tons.  I asked Liam today if he liked being here in Texas and he said, no.  He wanted to go home and go to Durango.  Jason and I laughed and said sorry, but this is home now.  Welcome to Texas.