What?

I know. You don't know what to do with two days in a row. Although the date on the last post doesn't say that- it's deceiving because that's when I actually started on that post, and for whatever reason didn't get around to finishing it till last night. For those of you that subscribe by e-mail, your little inboxes were probably confused to see me two days straight! I told you I'm trying!

So it's hot. After practically a whole week of rain, it's really hot. But we braved it anyway. I've really been wanting to go to the Miller Outdoor Theater and back to Hermann park (this is the same park that has the zoo in it), and this week there was a children's play series at 11:00 every day. What would have been super lovely is to have been in enough time to grab a seat, in the shade, under the big dome. I keep thinking surely in the middle of the day on a weekday it's not going to be that bad. I'm just going to quit saying that/thinking that. When you live in a city you share with six million people, not a big crowd just takes on a whole new meaning. And I still am just thinking once school starts back up that it will slow down. Perhaps more wishful thinking, but oh well.

So we got front row seats. On the grass section behind the seats. In the sun. I know our children are for the most part clueless how much we put ourselves through just so they don't have to sit around all day, but I have every intention of reminding them often when they are older and letting them know how amazing their parents are. Because it was SO hot (have I said that yet?). Luckily they obviously built that theater for large crowds so even though it was farther away, we could still hear pretty well and see okay. It was a cute play- a version of Jack and the Beanstalk. It was fun to hear all the kids interacting with the characters and reacting to the play. And how cool is the Miller Outdoor Theater? It's free- every single performance- and they have some awesome productions there. Can't wait to go to a grown up one or catch the symphony or something. Once it was over, we took our beet red faces over to some shade for a picnic lunch and then rode the train around the park. It really is a great park. Houston has some bomb-diggity parks, that's for sure. When it's not 100 degrees anymore, like probably Christmas, they will be even more fabulous! Just a little sampling of our outing:

A view of the stage. The play had songs in it, too, which always makes the kids enjoy it more!

Annnnnnd the view from where we were! It's not as bad as it looks, actually- we could see fine. And there's this whole huge grass hill made just for seating. But again, probably much better when it's not the dead heat of summer...Good thing I brought the quilt!!

So cool!

All aboard! We were glad the train was shaded. I don't think this picture depicts (and I'm glad) the sweat and red faces that were there a little closer!

We will do this next time. You rent these little paddleboats for like half an hour.

We didn't even come close to seeing all of the really photographic spots. I'll have to come just for a photo shoot one day-lots of cool fountains, statues, etc. I'm telling you, this is a massive park!

Enjoying the ride

Addison kept waving to...um...all the people? It was funny.

Of course we had to do a silly pose

And we have been totally zapped the rest of the day! Chris is still doing a little work, but being out in the heat like that really takes it out of you! Our phrase we seem to keep repeating is "We're learning, we're learning..." The first time to visit all these places has probably been a little more stressful just because we don't know what to expect and haven't been as well equipped as we could be. But now we know. And we're learning. We're learning the crowds. Learning the parking. Learning the driving. Surviving the heat (although it's not much better anywhere in the country for that part right now). We're slowly becoming less tourist and more Houstonian. Guess it's like finding a really great pair of shoes. They're the perfect fit and fantastic, but it takes a little bit of breaking in and wearing before they're super comfortable. Yeah it's kinda like that.

Peace out from the Pate house.