Our January–Austin

After a late night, we didn’t get going very early.  Today, we planned on visiting the University of Texas at Austin.

I had forgotten that parking on campus was an ordeal.  Finally we found a spot and spent what amounted to the price of a pair of shoes, just to park for two hours!  Our reason for stopping by The University of Texas was. . . .

. . .the Gutenberg Bible.  Dust off the history book in your mind, and turn the pages until you get to 1450–right before Columbus sailed the ocean blue in 1492.  About 1450, Johannes Gutenberg invented the first movable type printing press.  This (along with some other discoveries) brought about the Renaissance (think, end of the Dark Ages) and the Reformation (think, Martin Luther).

Now I had wanted to see a Gutenberg Bible in the Library of Congress when we visited D.C. a couple of years back, but my kiddos couldn’t make that last hike, so we had to skip the Library of Congress.  I am FASCINATED with this book.  It is because of the Gutenberg Bible, that I am able to have multiple bibles in my home.

This year in our homeschooling we read the book, How the Bible Came to Us (Lion Factfinder)

So when we heard from our friend Heather that the University of Texas had one of the few complete copies of The Gutenberg Bible, we knew we had to stop by and see it.

After viewing the Gutenberg Bible, it became obvious that I was not going to survive a long walk across campus in my 2 aspirin high-heeled boots.  (I rate my shoes on the number of aspirin required to wear them.)  The Hunni volunteer to go back to the car to get me some “real shoes.”  I thanked him, but he then informed me that he was not about to made a second trek to the car to return the two-aspirin-high-heeled-boots I was currently wearing.  This meant that I had to take them off and wander the museum in my sock feet.  I had a rather worn-out purse, four kids in tow, sock feet, tousled hair, and we were in a museum.  Suddenly I felt like a hippie mom on an outing.

With the return of my “real shoes”, my dignity also returned, and we started the long walk to the Museum of Texas Natural History.  It was a long walk.

But we stopped along the way to people watch, or should I say soldier watch.

Here the soldiers were learning commands.  My boys were fascinated.  I can’t figure it out.  Why do boys want to join the army and be yelled commands by an officer, when their mother is perfectly cabable of doing this at home??

We had forgotten to bring our strollers, so The Daddi had to carry Little Man (the baby) on his shoulders most of the way.

In the Great Hall, there were crystals, and gems, and a 925-carat blue topaz crystal.

There were dinosaurs, bones, skulls, and teeth.

We were limited on time, so we only visited the Hall of Texas Wildlife.  The Daddi was taking a photo of this wolverine (we currently HAIL from Michigan) on his phone.

Hail! to the Victors valiant
Hail! to the conquering heros
Hail! Hail! To Michigan
The leaders and Best …
Hail! to the Victors valiant
Hail! to the conquering heros
Hail! Hail! To Michigan
The Champions of the west!

Little Man (the baby) started taking “photos” on his play phone.

Beautiful Butterfly Display!!!

The museum was interesting, but we had a long walk back, and everyone was hungry.

The campus of the University of Austin is beautiful.  There are several water features and numerous statues.  We had to laugh at everyone in their “winter” sweaters while we were very hot in our jeans and T-shirts.

We had been told about a famous BBQ dive called Rudy’s.  We went.  We ate.  We said, “dirty, impatient servers, small portions, but good brisket.”  So much for the famous Rudy’s.

And with lunch served, we headed back to the van.  Back to listening to The Swiss Family Robinson and long accounts of their daily meals.  Back to visiting various children’s boutiques.  Back to kids hanging out of the windows in the parking lot.

We arrived around 8:00 p.m. at our Dallas hotel.  Tomorrow, I was going to attend the Dallas Trade Show.  Tomorrow, I had to wear Two-Aspirin-High-Heeled-Boots all day.

Join me again tomorrow,

–rebecca