Toby is in band at school. He wanted to play the french horn from the beginning, but all the beginners had to start on trumpet. Toby is doing great! His private lesson teacher has called a couple of times just to praise Toby's progress. Toby really enjoys playing, which is nice because he doesn't complain about practicing. He has a concert in December. He is really looking forward to that. Maybe we can get a clip to post next month, if I can figure out how to do that.
About 3 months ago, we planned a backpacking trip for this weekend. (I hadn't yet scheduled my surgery so I had planned on going, but didn't for obvious reasons.) But Nate took the kids and went anyway. Lost Maples is one of the few places in Texas that has actual fall colors in the trees. However, because of the drought, it wasn't that spectacular. Anyway, Just as Nate was loading up, the straps on his pack broke. So they stopped at REI on the way to get a new one. They left around 4:30pm. At about 7:30 Nate called to say he was lost. (I gave him bad directions, said he should stay on the 71 instead of the 290.) So he got turned back onto the right road. He called me at 9:30 lost again. (Not uncommon, this state park is hard to find, even in the daylight.) So Nate and the kids stayed at a motel and then got up early to go hiking. (Probably easier than getting there and hiking a mile in and setting up a tent in the dark at 11pm). They had a fun time. There are a bunch of trails there. The kids and Nate hiked about 9 miles. Isaac says that Nate ruined their fun by getting them back on the trail after getting lost in the park. The trails were steep in places. But it was perfect weather for hiking, cold in the morning and then warmer in the afternoon. I wish I could have gone. But I'm tired after just cleaning my house today. (I'm not used to long recoveries after surgery. I guess I'm an impatient patient.) But we're going camping next weekend with Mike and his family. That will be fun!!
This is how Toby entertained everyone on the long ride home! How does he come up with this stuff?!? They are Whoppers candies.
