Mexi after her first big walk down in the Valley.....I didn't know her tongue could hang out so far!


We only had a three hour drive today so there really was not a lot of reason to get up early and get going. I was however up and showered by 8:00. Don’t ask me why but we managed to diddle around till almost 11:00 before we left. We stopped part way to get coffe and some lunch and then proceeded down to the Valley. We took a different way to avoid the construction just outside of Mercedes and ended up on a short very bit of road that was extremely bumpy!

When we got landed in our spot I discovered that my glass shelf had unmounted itself from the wall, it didn’t break , just came off. My pantry jiggled it’s way open and a few things were on the floor and our screen for the projection TV had the end broken off it. Not such a good short cut!

We are here now for 3 months ......feels good to be settle in one spot for while.

Mexi enjoying one her new peanut butter cookies.


The spread before the masses attacked it.

The tables looked lovely.

President Bush may have pardoned 2 turkeys but that still left one for us to cook at Driftwood. At 2:00 we all went over to the Club House with our dish of calorie free goodness and dug into a very delicious meal of Turkey, Ham and all the fixin’s Texas style.

The rest of the afternoon was spent washing 2 dogs and preparing for our departure in the morning. By midnight I was as done as I could be so I hit the sheets for a fitful night of sleep.
I have no idea why the night before we go someplace I just lay there all night going over the things I have to do in the morning.......not that it helps at all.

WOW! Shiny Red Truck!

Garden behind our trailer.

A pretty butterfly I found behind the trailer.

Flowers behind our trailer.


I picked today .....the hottest day since we have been here to clean the truck. It was high time for a good detailing. I started out by steam cleaning the wheels and then going over to the car wash to do the rest. They also had a carpet cleaning machine and for $2.00 I was able to get all the coffee stains out of the front carpet. I was quite pleased with the results.

In the evening we joined Cy and Audrey and a few others for roast wild pig with sauerkruat. It was good but not something I would go out of my way for. At least now I can say I tried it.

We decided to have another day in Corpus Christi. The saw that Colin wanted to buy came on sale and also the water pump.....both items for the new cottage next summer. He printed coupons off the internet and that saved us another 15% off the price so they were worth the drive.

McKenna's new wardrobe.


I discovered that there was a "Once Upon a Child" store in Corpus too. When McKenna comes to visit in January she will need clothes for warm weather and she will only wear them for a week as they will probably be too small by the summer time in Canada so I decided I better get her decked out. For $30.00 I got 8 outfits that are like brand new and of course very cute! Can't wait to see her in them!

Pretty purple toe.


Colin and Armin working on the floor.


Yesterday Colin helped Armin and Ron build a floor for Suzanne and Armin's screen room. I on the other hand sat and nursed my toe. I thought I might have broken it but today it just hurts and is badly bruised. That's what you get for tripping over imaginary lines on the floor and folding your toe back under itself.

So here we are back in Fulton for the sixth year now. When we came down we had to pretty much leave most of our groceries out of the fridge behind. Them fussy boarder customs guys. I wanted to wash out the fridge before I restocked so that was the first course of action. Next was the laundry to get caught up and lastly going out to get the fridge filled up again.

Then naturally I came down with a cold, how nice! I spent a whole day on the couch sucking back the neocitron to try and keep ahead of it. It must have worked because the next day, except for a slight sore throat I felt pretty good again.

We decided to go into Corpus Cristi to do some shopping there. I had to hit my favorite thrift store and Colin had to go to Harbor Freight. We got our once yearly fix of a coffee and donuts at the Krispy Kream donut shop. I had to spend some time at my other favorite store, Joannes Fabrics. I can get into alot of trouble in there but I managed to keep my purchases to under $100.00.

By the time we were done we were both glad to go back to the trailer.

Tuesday we had an appointment booked for an oil change on the truck. While Colin did that I managed to do some Christmas shopping. On the way home we picked up Shrimp, Corn, Oysters and sausage for a seafood boil. It was very tasty!

We had decided today that we would drive as far as Victoria which is about an hour away from our park. Then in the morning head to the park.

We felt pretty good by the time we got there and decided that we would stop and have dinner and then carry on the rest of the way, stay in the Wal Mart in Fulton and then go into the park in the morning. We needed a new B-B-Que and there was an Academy Sports there so while Colin went in and got the B-B-Que I took the dogs for a walk. On my return to the trailer I noticed that the back tire on the trailer was low. When Colin got back he tried to put air in it but it was leaking badly from the valve stem. We got enough in that we could drive it over to the Wal-Mart, in hopes that we could have it fixed in the morning.
As the place we had chosen for dinner was on the far end of town our choices had narrowed to either Popeye's Chicken or What-a-Burger. We decided on Chicken........well maybe not! We walked into the place and there was a giant dead Cockroach on the floor, then I looked at the guy behind the counter who looked like he had not changed his shirt all week.......YUK!!! We informed them that we were leaving because of the roach and made a quick exit. Okay.....What-A-Burger was much better.

First thing in the morning Colin set about taking the tire off, upon closer inspection we discovered a large rip on the inside........okay time to haul out the spare tire. By the time we were all done it was noon. We went over and had lunch in the Sam's Club and then hit the road for our last one hour drive.

We got to the park with the regular crowd awaiting our arrival. It was good to see our friends again and of course brag about our new Grand Daughter.

We will spend the next two week here and head out to the Valley.

McKenna looks a bit dazed, I think I was hugging her too tight.


Some last minute checks in front of Shelly's house and we were ready to go.


You can't really see it but it was snowing here......time to head south!!!

After loading up the trailer and truck and saying our good-byes, it was time to leave Mississauga and make our way down to Texas. Although it was very difficult to leave my new Grand Daughter I realized that it was time to leave the new little family on their own so they could get on with their life.

We did see some snow early on but managed to get to the border with any staying on the ground.

The first day of driving brought us to Auburn Indian, where of course we stayed in a Wal-Mart parking lot. Day two we made it to Eureka Missouri and again we stayed at the Wal-Mart camp ground. It was not the greatest as we were very close to the highway and a train track. At about 4:00 Am I was sure that the train was going to cross right through the bedroom and over the end of the bed......oh well what can you expect for nothing. Our third day got us to Oaklahoma just off the Texas State line. One more long day of driving and then a few hours on the last day should put us in the park in Fulton.

Mexi and Splash waiting in the yard to go to the trailer.


McKenna said that mommy could pick out the hot tub because she was just too tired.


Everyone knows you have to test drive a hot tub before you could ever think of buying it!


Friday morning I decided to rent a steam cleaner and do the carpets in the trailer. After spending so much time at the lot and running in and out here at Shelly's they were in need of a good scrubbing. Since I had the cleaner here anyway I also did the couch, the chairs and the throw rugs. Now we are all clean to head for the US.

After I was done we decided to take a brave step and head to the cottage show at the International Centre. Colin and I wanted to check out some stuff for the house construction next year and Luke and Shelly also thought that there may be some interesting things to look at. After loading Baby and all her stuff into Shelly's car and us into the truck we headed over. By the time we got there McKenna decided that she was hungry and needed to be fed. Shelly fed her in the car and then met Colin and I in the building at the entrance.

We managed to get through the whole show without so much as a peep from her. She was very excited about the life Jacket that her Pops and I are getting her for Christmas. She also picked out a hot tub, and some fun toys for the cottage, you know, a fishing boat, kayak and of course a new fishing rod.

By the time we were ready to leave naturally she was hungry again and needed changing. I decided to take the plunge and do the diaper change in the public bathroom. I think she was setting me up! After I got the diaper off and wiped her bottom she decided that it would be great fun to pee all over her undershirt, sleeper and blanket......How fun is that! Shelly found a quiet place to sit and nurse her and then we packed up and headed home. Shelly enjoyed getting out and walking around. I enjoyed showing off my Grand Daughter to anyone who would look.


Nicole and McKenna


Ruth and McKenna.


Nicole's youngest, Timothy......suddenly he is all grown up!

On Saturday the weather was miserable, rainy and cold. We went out in the morning and had breakfast and then went over to the McGregor sock outlet, unfortunately they were closed. I needed to pick up a few other things so we popped into Wal-Mart and did that and then headed back to Shelly's.

Before it started to rain I emptied all of the stuff out of the storage compartment so Colin could top up our batteries. We were no quite done and it started to rain but I managed to get everything back in without getting too wet.

My Sister-In-Law Ruth and my niece Nicole came for a visit. Since Nicole has 3 boys she just couldn't get enough of McKenna. Poor Ruth hardly got to hold her at all.

Towards the evening I gave McKenna a bath and she was being quite photogenic so of course we had to take some more pictures.

Snuggle time with Daddy


And Mommy too!


Ahh....It's just been such a hard day!


When all else fails a wrist is always good to suck on.


Sitting with Mommy.

Looking at Mommy.

McKenna is very good with her hands.......she did this all by herself.


Just hanging out looking at my Daddy.


Enjoying a little cuddle.

McKenna in her Mommy's and her Oma's crib.


Mom, Dad and Baby McKenna.


Auntie Sher was having fun!


Thanksgiving dinner and the dogs waiting for their cut.


Sunday Brunch.......I can't believe they actually put her on the bill!


Having a nap with Daddy.


Great Nana Werner and McKenna.


Great Grampa Werner and McKenna.


Showing great Nana Werner pictures of McKenna on the computer.



Shelly and Tammy comparing notes on Motherhood.


McKenna and her little friend Zachery hanging out on the couch.

It has been a little while since I last did some updating.....sorry! As we are leaving for Texas next Monday I am finding that I want to spend as much time as possible with Shelly and baby McKenna. I just can't seem to get enough hugs!!

We had Halloween and joined Shelly's neighbors for mulled cider around the campfire. Even McKenna came out for a while as the weather was wonderfully warm. We certainly can't complain about the weather we have been having.

Shelly has had a few set backs in her after birth recovery but things are starting to get better. Sleep of course is a very precious commodity for her and Luke.

Since everything was still up in the air on the real Thanksgiving we decided to have our dinner later and that way McKenna could join us. It was good to be together with our little family that has grown to include our baby girl.

We went visiting to introduce McKenna to her Great Nana and Grampa in Fergus. They were totally impressed with her. After we went there Shelly and I carried on to Tammy's house to visit with her and Zachery. It was very cute to see the two babies together.

We have shared many firsts with our new baby, going shopping, going out for Sunday brunch, first bum change in a public bathroom, first nursing session in a restaurant and the list goes on as everyday there are new frontiers to explore. How Fun!