Enjoy these special photos!

April began with celebrating Easter. It was also the last month that I would be watching granddaughter full time. Dale and I also spent a week in Hawaii, but that's in a separate photo gallery. The Js went to Big Bend to celebrate their anniversary.

Dale and I spent a week on O'ahu in April at the Marriott Beach Villas in Ko O'lina. It was our second time at the resort. We stayed mostly around the resort area except for one trip to the North Shore for Dale's surf lesson. It was a very relaxing and enjoyable trip

In March we were busy! All of our family came to baby's family commitment ceremony at our church. We spent a weekend with with the Js at their home in New Braunfels. We rented a camper van and went camping at Cedar Breaks, then the following weekend we went to North Texas for a visit. What a great month!

The first weekend in February we enjoyed a walk at Cedar Breaks Park on Lake Georgetown. The following weekend was Valentine's day, which we spent at the Sheraton in the Rivery. Dale was off on President's Day so we did a nice long hike at Garey Park.

We took advantage of MLK holiday and went to Inks Lake to enjoy the beautiful weather. We hiked the Pecan Flats Trail, which was a first for us. It was 3.5 miles of rugged Central Texas terrain. We concluded with lunch at a campsite by the lake.

A year new has begun and I'm hopeful. I'm thanking the Lord for our many blessings and looking forward to what he will do. I'm still watching baby every day while Dale works from home. Enjoy these highlights of the month!

We had a wonderful December. The weather was mild, we got to go to Argyle for a visit, we went with D & A to look at Christmas lights, and to top it off, we all got together for Christmas at the J's home in New Braunfels.

Dale planned a wonderful anniversary trip to the Hill Country to celebrate 32 years of marriage. We started on Friday with breakfast in Liberty Hill, went to Doeskin Ranch in the Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge for a strenuous 1.8 mile hike on Rim Rock Trail, then headed in to Fredericksburg. We stayed in the most unique cabins, enjoyed the Christmas Parade and finished the weekend with a hike up Enchanted Rock!

Can't believe it's November! It's a busy month with football and the start of the holidays. So thankful our children have such wonderful spouses and extended family. There are a lot of firsts for baby happening too!

October in Texas! Fall is here but the temperatures are still hot. Football season is in full swing and our grandkids are on the move!

We made a 24-hour trip to Ohio to attend Dale's aunt and uncle's 60th wedding anniversary celebration and 80th birthdays. Wayne and Peggy have four children and a plethora of grandchildren and one great-grandchild. I finally got to meet all of his first cousins.

September in Texas! Gungy Grannie's Daycare is still in full swing, we visited the Sharricks in New Braunfels and much more!

Baby's boss went to another job so she was forced to hire an assistant to stay on track. Thank goodness her career coach was nearby for encouragement! Ha ha! Here are some photos of El's first week at our house now that mom is back at work. She's a good-natured baby.

We stopped by the Ark Encounter in Kentucky on our way home from Michigan. It was totally worth the extra miles. The size of the ark is extraordinary. You really can't comprehend the scope of what Noah built unless you actually see it. The Bible doesn't go into detail about the ark's shape, or how all the animals fit inside, or how eight people could care for so many animals for such an extended period of time, but Ken Ham, the man behind the Ark Encounter, did his research and presents visitors with what could have been possible at that time in human history.

I did not want to leave Michigan without spending a day soaking up the sun on the beach. Unfortunately the smoke from Canadian fires made it very hazy. But, we enjoyed the trip to Holland, Michigan anyway. We hung out for a few hours but didn't swim. The water was 53 degrees and the breeze was cool! People acted like it was no big deal. Northerners!

I was truly impressed with the love Grand Haven has for the Coast Guard. What started as a picnic in 1924, has grown into a ten-day festival that draws more than 350,000 people! Dale and I enjoyed spending a few hours there on August 2.

A home designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1909 for a man named Meyer May was just two blocks from our home in Grand Rapids. It is only open for tours three days a week for just a few hours and all the tours were booked for months out but we were able to get in! It was so exhilarating to see such a beautifully restored home that was so unique for its time.

This collection of photos are random from the Grand Rapids area, and from our visit to the Fireside Storytelling event.

On the last Saturday of July we spent a few hours at the Fallasburg Village Festival just about 30 minutes away from Grand Rapids. Fallasburg is a historic district containing the remaining portions of a nineteenth century hamlet surrounding the remains of a sawmill and gristmill. It also has a very charming covered bridge that crosses the Flat River.

On the last Saturday we spent in South Dakota we went back to Custer State Park to try and see more bison and to hike the Cathedral Spires Trail. We did both!

The last leg of our Upper Peninsula drive was from Mackinac Island to Grand Rapids. We stayed a night in Traverse City, visited Sleeping Bear Dunes National Seashore and the Life-saving Station, stopped by a lot of lighthouses and much more. It was such fun.

We visited Mackinac Island during our Upper Peninsula driving tour. We spent almost seven hours there and only saw a small fraction of its beauty. No cars allowed on the island.

We took a week to drive from Duluth, Minnesota to Grand Rapids, Michigan along the Upper Peninsula. These are some of the best moments.

Saturdays are the busiest day of the week for sightseeing and Saturday, July 5 was no different. We wanted to complete the Spearfish Byway but a rockfall blocked the road and we were only able to do a third of it, so we pivoted and went back to Deadwood to see the historic Mount Moriah Cemetery and the Tatanka Bison Experience. However, before leaving the scenic byway we were able to do a really cool hike to the Devil's Bathtub.

Badlands National Park is in South Dakota has dramatic landscapes with layered rock formations, steep canyons and towering spires. Bison, bighorn sheep and prairie dogs inhabit its sprawling grasslands. We drove the Badlands Loop Road (Highway 240), which winds past scenic lookouts. Afterwards we stopped by Wall Drugs, a popular tourist trap.

Dale and I took a step back in to the past on the Historic Lantern Tour, where our Park Ranger was dressed in a 1930s-style uniform, and the only light was provided by lanterns. We took a step back in time by entering the cave through the historic entrance using an unpaved trail. The tour was advertised as strenuous and it lasted about 1 hour and 45 minutes.

Not far from Mount Rushmore National Monument, in the beautiful Black Hills, is Custer State Park. The park has beautiful drives, wildlife, lakes and so much more. It was a great place to spend time.

Mount Rushmore National Monument, which is located in the beautiful Black Hills, is definitely worth the drive from Texas. The idea of creating such a sculpture was dreamed up in 1923 by South Dakota historian Doane Robinson. He wanted to find a way to attract tourists to the state. It worked. Mount Rushmore is now visited by nearly 3 million people annually. Dale and I visited four times while we were there!

Welcome to our newest grandchild!

Dale and I had the opportunity to go to Oahu to spend six days at the Marriott in Ko Olina. The Sharricks joined us. It was so enjoyable. Every day was perfect weather and the resort was beautiful.

The weekend after Christmas we joined the kids for weekend of camping at the Jim Hogg Park on Lake Georgetown. The weather was gorgeous. It was a lot of fun.

During our visit to Spain in September 2024 we spent a couple of days in Santiago before we went to Ligonde, then another day after we got done serving on the Camino.

This gallery is full of miscellaneous summer photos.

Summers Mill Conference Center just outside of Salado is a wonderful place to rest and enjoy God's creation. Dale and I spent just one night there recently. I was recovering from the flu so we took it easy. We really enjoyed it.

Dale and I have been the target of Wyndham's Vacation Club. We've enjoyed the attention. We've stayed in Napa, Anaheim, Arkansas, and now Colorado for minimal cost to us. This trip to Steamboat Springs is our last fling. We turned them down one more time. We really enjoyed the trip though and made some friends along the way.

Dale and I spent a day on some of the best Central Texas highways to see wild flowers. We were not disappointed.