Both of our sons are off to college now (Texas A&M), so we are officially empty nesters. We have downsized and moved closer to them (Waco).

It was a busy move time --

  • August 14th: loaded U-haul
  • August 15th: drove to Waco and unloaded U-haul
  • August 15th and 16th: stayed at a hotel since they only turn on new water service on Monday, but the weekend U-haul drive through Ft. Worth is much better than during the work week.
  • August 16th: Travis and I drove the U-haul back to the old home for a cheaper rate, finished cleaning and moving the last things from our old house, and drove back. The kids visited the Waco Mammoth National Monument. We took them when they were little, but that was a long time ago.
  • August 17th: Went to the new house to wait for the water between 1pm-4pm. They came about 1:20pm, so not bad. Unpack, unpack. The kids were very helpful for the move.
  • August 18th: Moved Owen into this dorm at 1pm; Joel helped too.
  • August 19th: Visited the Dr. Pepper Museum while Joel was still here. Before, we tried Hawaiian Bros. -- it was really good, especially the pulled pork -- and walked past JoAnna and Chip Gaines's Magnolia. I still need to go back and visit.

Magnolia and the Silos

Dr. Pepper Museum

This syrup weighed 14 lbs.

Joel did the red vs. blue blind taste test and was thinking. After, we got our included drink, not too many options in the included. Joel got root beer, and we each got Diet Dr. Pepper.

  • August 20th: Joel's Corps buddy from Missouri stayed (10 hour drive for him), so that they could both leave early and move in Friday morning.
  • August 21st: Joel and buddy, each in their own vehicles, planned to leave at 6:30am, but I heard they leaving a little after 6am. They needed to get Corps haircuts and move in.
  • August 21st: Closed on selling our house.
  • Sept 5th: We went to the pre-game activities -- Joel's Corps BBQ, hung out in Owen's room, hung out with other Corps parents, tailgating, and Corps step-off. We also got to see, for the first time, that the football team arrives in 4-5 big black coach buses with a police escort (I found on their website that there are 99 players and about 80 coach and staff (where only 1 of the staff was security, I think that I would want more) -- crazy!). I wondered where they came from and hoped that they had some cool underground secret entrance. They went around Kyle field, so I could not see where the buses stopped. Joel was also on ABC TV during the game. Thanks to another Corps parent for catching and recording it!

BBQ -- Owen joined us.

Step-off where the Corps marches from the Quad to Kyle field before the game. Then seem to go back to the dorm to rest and cool off until the game start time.

We did some Facebook Marketplace shopping to replace some bigger versions that we did not move and versions that would fit and matched better. We got an additional storage cabinet that matched well from Walmart and found a table and four chairs and a sofa on FB.

Travis has also started preparing our mini-van for roadtripping and camping. We joined the local library. I went to the library craft and joined the Waco Aggies Mom's Club and attended the first meeting.

We are also working hard to plan some upcoming trips. I sort of found some quick cruises (plural) since we have not cruised yet this year. I found a reasonably priced Royal Caribbean cruise from Galveston that we can drive to without an overnight stay. We have never tried Royal before because they are more expensive; however, I wanted us to try it at some point. It is a 5 night cruise. This is really the first cruise that I only picked for the ship and not the destination. And, hehe, it is not Royal's newest ship by any means -- Mariner of the Seas. No aqua show, but there is an ice skating show :). It is coming up soon. We got a guarantied oceanview and don't have a room assigned yet. It is coming up soon.

For our Gulf Coast road trip planned, where we planned our first trip to Disney World as empty nesters to be cheaper. Our kids only got a substitute of Legoland CA since they were boys and into Legos. I have to say Disney is CRAZY expensive; it blows my mine. It is our one time trip. Hopefully, it is not crazy busy, and we get a chance to ride the classic rides. For good measure, I included a 4 night cruise before Disney. We are doing the NCL Getaway. We have done 14 NCL cruises but never on one of the newer bigger ships. We have only been on the Jewel class and older. So, we picked a middle aged, bigger ship. It was a very good deal. Hehe -- half of Disney, twice as long, and with the food and hotel included. This is why I'm too addicted to cruising. These are shorter cruises for us, but for trying new line and a side trip, we are going for it. They both start on a Monday too, so should not be booze cruises for a long weekend.

Lastly, we have made some progress planning our big Asia trip next year.

Local Tourism Cont.

We visited Cameron Park hiking trails by the Brazos River. A limestone cliff, river, and bamboo. The trail is along the river, but we took an uphill trail that was closed part of the way up. We made our way back to the lower river trail. Our trail began and ended at a very steep rock staircase.

We also did a morning walk one day at Warren Park. There is a 3/4 mile loop that we went around three times, each time passing our friend the heron. They have a story trail with a book printed on signs along the walk for kids. They also have a big amphitheater with a big overflow gravel parking lot that I'm eager to see what events they host there that draws that big of a crowd. Maybe 4th of July fireworks.

With free tickets from the library, we visited the Texas Ranger Museum (police/detectives, not baseball players).

I sent these to my Dad because this is the county that our family grew up in, and he said that he had not met him but remembered hearing about him as a child. I did not expect him to have met him. Pretty cool.

Closing with game 3 visit to the kids. We went to brunch together and then to Tim Horton's (across the parking lot). We had never had this Canadian establishment, and I did not expect to in College Station. Joel and Travis got a coffee (though they forget Travis's coffee until he went back up), and we all shared the variety pack of Timbits, which are donut holes.

Owen with the cavalry horse. Joel's fall-out and step-off. Joel was on TV again; above the 7 in sunglasses. The final score was 31 to 21, so it did not end as bad as it looks here.