Battleship!

How have we not done this before? We took the boys to the San Jacinto Battlefield today and to see the USS Texas. First we went up the 500 column (elevator to the top), with which they were moderately impressed. Far better was jumping off a stone wall, yelling "Geronimo!" Or sometimes for Connor: "I'm a man!!!" Then they bravely endured a nice nature walk and amused themselves by terrorizing ant hills, while Sarah and I looked at birds.

By far the highlight was the Texas though. First there was the hill.

Now as you look at this picture of sheer joy on Connor's face, remember that just the day before he had been so sick he could barely get off the couch. Next remember that about a half-hour before, he had been so tired he almost couldn't carry on with the nature walk, which was really far too long, in case I didn't make that point clearly before. But for Houston boys, used to the oppressive flatness of the land, any hill is a cause for intense joy. They took turns shouting "This one's for you Mom/Dad" and barreling down the hill straight into us.

The Texas itself was great too. First there is much climbing to be done, always popular. But best of all was that the gun turrets mostly still work. I can be pretty specific because there are a lot on there and they tried just about everyone moving aft down the starboard side and then forward back up the port side.