Hall Family Reunion, Part 2 Howdy again from south Texas! The party's over for 2008 but it was fun while it lasted. Above, you see Chuck and Mary Nell's 7 grandchildren in order of age (Hannah is the only one not pictured). Jade, Eve, Josiah, Sophia, Allie, Sara and Katherine (aka "Kaken Rose" as Sara calls her)
Here are the proud grandparents with their crew.

Then I thought, seize the moment and grab some family photos, no matter how rough we looked. So I did. Krissy yelled at me to go outside where it was prettier, but I retorted, it's a million degrees outside.
I'm a fan of candid pictures; the ones you don't see framed and hanging on the wall.

Jonathan and Lisa with Eve, Josiah and Allie

Ben and Krissy trying to get Sara to cooperate while Katherine sits complacently

And, the nice pose!

Jade's always ready for her glamor shot so there's no "before" pictures for them. Jessica and Alcoe with Jade.

The newlyweds! Aw, how special. I'm sad Hannah's not in the photo. :(

Bess, Jake and Sophie should have a photo here, but, Bess was actually home asleep when those photos were taken. She worked at Starbucks that morning.

Here we have the Last Night Together before folks started heading home. It was my favorite night! Here is Lisa, Krissy, Mary Nell and Bess.

Finally some pictures of me!! Krissy took these of me with the kids.

I bribed the kids all week with icecream and cookies. They like Aunt Rachael.

I wanted one picture with my sister, Jessica. I love Jessica! (Ben, galivanting in the background)

Sara wanted to play poker so they gave her some chips. It's around midnight, here.

I grabbed this quick one of Bess and Josiah.

The in-laws goofing off for the camera.

All the kids sacked out in front of a movie while the adults played poker or Scrabble.

The Last Day was Saturday, and Ben and Krissy were flying from Austin back to LA with the girls by 5pm. Jonathan and Lisa & Co. left around 6pm to drive back to Georgia. So, we decided to surprise Mary Nell with a late birthday celebration. I made Mom's German chocolate cake and it rocked!!

Mary Nell was very surprised and grateful for the never-ending birthday celebration (it's been going on for a few weeks now). Chuck prayed a blessing over the family and thanked God for the food, and we all dug in! Man what a meal.

So ends the week long Hall family reunion. Next year the plan is for Colorado Springs the first week of June. It's too dern hot to do it in Texas again!!

Guys, we miss you already.

Love, Rachael

HALL FAMILY REUNION 2008

This week Chuck and Mary Nell have all of their children and grandchildren with them (minus Hannah) for a week's vacation. Since Hannah is in Florida with her Meema and Papa, I promised to take pictures and send them to her. So Hannah, here's what we did yesterday!

We went around 6:30pm to Cypress Bend Park, where Sophie had her third birthday party, to grill out and swim in the Guadalupe River. It was blazing hot, even at 6:30. Mary Nell said her thermometer outside registered 111 degrees!

Above is little Katherine Rose, Ben and Krissy's 2 and 1/2 month old daughter. They live in California. Below is Sophie, Josiah and Eve, heading for the water.

Katherine sitting in her Aunt Jessica's lap.


Eve, complaining because Sophie pushed her.

A very serene Jade, hanging out on the swing. Jade lives in Colorado and she's sad that Hannah isn't here.

Sara, finally awake from her nap in the car, walking with her daddy, Ben. Sara will be two in late September.

About 30 minutes before I had to leave for a photo shoot, Lanier and Jonathan fire up the grill.

Here's Sara, asleep while everyone's swimming.

Grandma tried to blow up a float meant to hold 20 people. Esther showed up later with an air compressor.

Here's Jason, Esther's husband, and their adorable one-year-old baby, Evelyn. Hannah LOVES Evelyn. They go to our church.

Krissy with baby Katherine.

Sophie and Josiah having fun.

Ben swinging out over the water.

The boys were pretty enthusiastic about getting the rope swings going.

Lanier.

Sorry these pictures are in backward chronological order....that's how this site loads photos. Very irritating.

Lisa and Krissy.

Uncle Lanier helping the small ones into the water.

Tiny Allie, age two, squawking at me happily. I don't know whose shoes those are.

Best friends!

Sophie, Jade and Eve.

So, that's pretty much what I got yesterday. Today we're going tubing down the Comal and I really wish I could photo the faces of these kids while they go through the tube chute. It'd be priceless!

Check back later for more pictures of the Hall Family Reunion.

Super Aunt!

Howdy folks! Yesterday I took Hannah and my three-year-old niece, Sophia, to Aunt Pam's house in south San Antonio (where all the billboards are in Spanish). We spent the whole day with Pam and her two granddaughters, Zena, age 6 (as of Thursday) and Zara, age 2. Sophie had a great time!

She wasn't too interested in petting Lovebug, Aunt Pam's one-month-old filly, but she enjoyed looking at her. She asked what was Lovebug's mama's name and we answered, "Prita," and then she asked, "What's her daddy's name?" and we were stumped.

How do you tell a three-year-old that horses are bred, not married? Hmm....


I'd promised the girls that they would get to swim. Zena and Zara, my cousins, knew we were coming, but Sophie was a surprise to them. They thoroughly enjoyed playing with a new friend! Aunt Pam filled an old horse trough for them to splash around in. It was was pretty nice for such a hot day.

Here's little Zara, getting into the water. Brrrr!!

Sophie was ready. Goggles on!

She promptly took them off and Zena asked to borrow them.
It was a great day of visiting and eating fried chicken and pecan pie (gasp!) yes Mom, I totally forsook the Eat Clean Diet yesterday. And it was GOOD!

We stayed until almost 7:00pm and Sophie, totally worn out, slept all the way home. It was a great day.

Hannah Has Her Own Blog

www.bananablog101.blogspot.com

Check out Hannah's first blog on her own site about Camp Travis!

We're off to visit Aunt Pam today and see her brand new filly, Lovebug and spend the day with our cousins, Zena and Zara. Zara was born on Hannah's birthday in 2006. We're taking Sophie with us so she can play with Zena and let Bess have a break. :)

Friday, Hannah leaves for Georgia and I will miss her. I'm trying to spend quality time with her before she goes. WIM Orientation starts today, however, I can miss one day since I don't teach until Thursday. We have three people attending, a couple, and a single. Check back for more updates this week!

Rachael

A Camper's Life for Me! Continued

Hannah's continuing to have fun at Camp Travis. Above, you see her with I'm guessing her team or cabin members...not sure. She can't communicate with us but I can send her emails (I've only sent one). Wednesday they participated in a Triathlon! Below are some photos of Hannah during the race. I'm so proud!!

Below you see her coming off the biking part and going into the final run.

RUN baby, RUN!

She's so small!

I can't wait to hear all about it when we pick her up this Saturday. It's been a pretty quiet week without her. Mom, can you see that she's wearing the shorts you gave me for Christmas? They fit Hannah better they fit me.

Yesterday I kept four-year-old Sydni and her little sister, Izzy who is one. We went straight to Sophie's house, where Sophie was already wearing her swimsuit, waiting for her friend to arrive. Sydni ran in the house without ceremony (I had to call her back to greet Ms. Mary Nell) and said, "I need to put on my suit!" She and Sophie had a ball. Bess was babysitting little Evelyn so her parents could go out on a date, so between the two of us, Bess and I had a four-year-old, a three-year-old and two one-year-olds playing in the back yard. We fed them organic mac 'n cheese and gave them all a bath later. It was hilarious, seeing two little naked girls running through the house, screaming happily on the way to the bathroom. Evelyn came toddling along behind, naked as well. I told Mary Nell it all makes me want to double on up my birth control. I was exhausted! I meant to bring my camera to get photos, but alas, between the baby, Sydni, a diaper bag, a purse and bag of groceries, I totally forgot. Maybe next time.