Corpus Christi

We had our annual trip down to Corpus Christi so that Todd could train aboard the U.S.S. Lexington. The kids and I hung out at the beach and hotel while Todd worked. The first day Emily did not like the sand. She would try to walk real slow hoping not to get any in her sandals. She was cracking us up.Here is a sweet picture of Dylan and Emily walking along the hotel towards the boat to go meet daddy for lunch.
There is a pier by the boat that we go to every year and there a tons of hermit crabs. My kids love to get them and watch them. They put them on the sand and the hermit crabs kept trying to walk off so they took their shoes and built a wall around them.
After playing with the hermit crabs we decided we needed to cool off with a snow cone with some friends. My niece Tori went with us too.
Emily and Dylan at the bottom of the ramp that goes to the boat.
On Wednesday we got to go on board and watch some of their training on the out edge of the boat. Here is a picture of Todd waiting to lift some one up.

They each take turns being the patient needing rescuing. This is Jerry hanging on the outer edge of the boat.
Here he is being dropped down to the bottom of the boat.


Here are some of the family of the workers watching Jerry.

On the second scenario Todd was the patient in this basket they had to drop down.
Then carry him to the other side of the boat to strap him to another rope.
Then they had to lift him up to a different level.
We had fun watching. After they were finished we went for a tour of the boat which is a museum. Here are the kids in the brig

And one of them in the submarine like thing.


One of them on a stage with Old Glory.

This is painted on the wall of the barber shop.

We love looking around the boat and it is so neat to see that it is just like a little city. They have a post office, dentist office, doctor office, barber shop,etc. all on board. It is hard to believe that people live on things like this and I have had a new respect for all service people since the first time we went here 3 or 4 years ago. They do great things to make the USA a great place for me and my family and I thank all who have served, are serving or who have had loved ones serve!

Here are some pictures from the beach. We were able to get in the water this year. Last year we didn't because the jellyfish were so bad, not this time. I love this one of Emily.


Here are the boys. After dinner on Wednesday a bunch of us got together on the beach to play some football. Most of the kids got in on the action as well. It is so nice that Todd works with such great people who have wonderful families. We all get along great and really do enjoy spending times like these together.