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Blue Bonnets and Blue Bell

Saturday, March 17, 2012
Dave took Friday off since the kids were on break and we planned to head out to the country to tour the Blue Bell Creamery in Brenham TX.

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The problem is that everyone else had the same plans.  Tours were sold out. The line for ice cream was a mile long.  So, we went to plan B....

The town of Brenham is a quaint old town square and we knew there was an ice cream shoppe there that sold Blue Bell, so we moseyed down the road to it.

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I just have to say here that I adore my little family.  Yes, they drive me crazy sometimes but they also make me so PROUD of them too (more on that soon).

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 {added a retro vintage Florabella action to the one above}

We had fun wandering around the antique and junk shops of Brenham and we all enjoyed our Blue Bell ice cream too!
It really is the best ice cream there is.

And you may not know this but it is blue bonnet season here in Texas.  And blue bonnets are the state flower.  It is a tradition to drive out to see the blue bonnets.  They are so beautiful.  It is also tradition to find a spot to take a photo or two.  You see tons of car pulled over doing just that!

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It is also a tradition to be uncooperative during said photos:) Just sayin!

It was overcast but the glare was awful...so there were a lot of images that looked like this....

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We were all pretty squinty!

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Overall, it was a very nice family day.  Hope y'all are having a good weekend.


P.S. I have really old photos of Will as a baby in the blue bonnets and of me pregnant with him (very pregnant) in the blue bonnets.  I will look for them to scan in this week.


32 comments:

  1. Sounds like you had a nice day with family. Lovely photos. Have a great weekend!

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  2. Great pics of the kids at the end!
    I'm an advocate of the HPV vaccine...lost a coworker to cervical cancer. It stinks that women are the ones who suffer the consequences since males are the carrier. The chances of getting HPV is huge (and even if you are not a "hootichie" :)) unfortunately in today's society. My obgyn had to call a 82 year old patient of hers to tell her she had HPV. She had been married to her husband for over 50 years. Crazy world we live in!

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    1. You make some good points and cervical cancer is a silent and horrible killer. I would hate for anyone to contract it. But at 11 years old?! Harry is in NO danger of contracting HPV at this age! It is recommended for kids as young as 9 years old!!! That recommendation is more about making $$$ than protection. Also Gardisil is too new with way too many harmful side effects. My kids will not be getting it any time soon (I'll never say never though). At this point, I will educate them instead. However, I think if people feel they are at risk for HPV and they can handle the possible side effects...go for it. We might have to just agree to disagree about this one:)

      There have been serious side effects including 71 deaths from Gardisil and 52 from Cervarix not to mention paralysis, blood clots, severe neurological illnesses.
      http://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/Vaccines/HPV/gardasil.html

      Hope you enjoy your weekend!

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    2. I totally totally agre that 11 is way young! I guess they are targeting those kids who are "active" at a younger age which makes me incredibly sad to begin with. At 11 I was still playing dolls.
      Thanks for the article though on the side effects. I'm a bit anti vaccines myself as are several of my girlfriends. I wasn't aware of the deaths linked to the shot. Such a fine line these days of whether it is helping or hurting our society.
      With all these drugs out, why can't they get one out to cure cramps or IBS?? Now THOSE I'd be all over!! :)

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    3. It is sad, isn't it. Kids grow up WAY too fast it seems. I took the immunization stuff of this post as in retrospect, it is probably too personal to post and everyone has to do what is best for them. I don't want to stri up any comtroversy:)

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    4. Agreed, it is too young... As a mom to three sons 14 12 9, it reminds me of making the decision of whether or not to circumcise. We would read one article that says yes and one article that says no, both citing the same reasons. As a parent, you just have to make what you think is the best decision.

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  3. Yes to Blue Bell (so glad we finally have it in Colorado) and NO to Gardisil

    I would love to email you privately about my recent experience with thinking I had HPV :( Also with what my pediatrician told my girls.

    Karen

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  4. The Blue Bonnets are GORGEOUS! (And so is your family!!)

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  5. Your pictures are so great . You all seen so happy !!

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  6. That last picture of you and the kids is so gorgeous.

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  7. That picture of you and the kiddos in the blue bells is so gorgeous.

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  8. We've done that same trip every spring since 2004, except last year because we were in China at the peak bluebonnet time. I was so sad that we did not make it last year and broke the tradition. In exchange, we had a wonderful trip to China and gained two new sons. :-)

    You can see a blog post of the past years here:
    http://twototsandateen.blogspot.com/2010/04/bluebonnets.html

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  9. What fun! Cute photos! Can't believe how grown up Will is looking these days! Have a fun weekend.

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    1. Will is SO grown up now. His voice has changed and he is not a kid anymore. he is taller than both of us too!!!

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  10. I am totally cracking up because I was thinking, "Wow. Look how nicely her boys are posing for pictures!" and then I read your comment about them being uncooperative.

    I love the photos against the wall. So lovely!

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    1. They just whined a tad but they know that I do so much for them and I really have not taken photos since Christmas until this week! And really it is glarey and itchy and allergy-ish in the blue bonnets. Not ideal photo situations.

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    2. Well the photos are stunning! I love, love, love the ones against the wall. The blue bonnets are beautiful but there is just something about the ones with the wall.

      And I've met your children. I can't imagine them whining!! :)

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  11. The blue bonnets make the most beautiful backdrop....I could see it as a Christmas card.....you are blessed to have such a beautful family. I look at these pictures it makes and smile. Enjoy the kids while they are young and still willing to go on these family outings....you have no idea how much I miss them!!!!! Thanks for sharing Kim:)

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  12. Oh my goodness I am so struck as to how you kids have suddenly grown! Love your blouse Kim! LOVE!

    lea
    xo

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    1. Thank you so much Lea! I got the lilac gingham shirt here

      http://www.jcrew.com/womens_factory_category/shirtsandtops/PRDOVR~35499/99102568730/ENE~1+2+3+22+4294967294+20~45~~205+17~15~~~~~~~/35499.jsp And I think it is an extra 30% off today with code MUSTLOVE.

      Kim

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  13. What a great day trip!!! Kim, these are some of my favorite family photos you have ever taken. That wall is SO COOL.......and that photo of Dave and Kate is beyond precious!! You look fabulous as always!

    Look forward to the old photos of you in the blue bonnets!

    Hope you are enjoying your weekend~

    xoxo,

    Lisa

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  14. LOVE-LOVE-LOVE the photos.. looks like you had a WONDERFUL day..
    love you and miss you tons..
    MUWAHHHH

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  15. `12Fabulous photos .. love the bluebonnets (I am pretty sure we do not have any here in FL). And, my husband LOVED Blue Bell ice cream!!

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  16. Fabulous photos of your sweet family (just love the bluebonnets). And, my husband is crazy for Blue Bell!!

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  17. I adore all these pictures, the blue bonnets (love that name!!), the wall and not to mention Kate in that ice-cream hat...gorgeous! I love that you get into soe of the pictures too, I'm so bad at doing that! :)

    Glad ya'll had so much fun!

    I wish our grayness would clear up so I can get outside and photograph again. Winter gets so boring after the first week! Heh! ;)

    Jill

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  18. LOVE these pics!! That "wall" is awesome. Years ago, we went to Austin for basketball tournaments on springbreak and it makes me ill to think I never took advantage of the those beautiful bluebonnets that covered the landscape. The picture of you and the kids in the bluebonnets is just beautiful.

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  19. Oh how I miss blue bell & bluebonnets!!!

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  20. So jealous of your sweet bluebonnet pictures. I have them from every year as a child, and my sweet babies have never had a picture in them. We always miss them. :( So glad y'all had such a fun day! We just got Blue Bell in SC a few years ago and we were so excited!

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  21. Is Will possibly taller than your husband??!!! Wow!!! And I simply adore the last picture of you all! oxox

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