And then there were cops

Because no family day trip would be complete without a chat with a deputy from the Fort Bend Sheriff's Department, right? I wouldn't be surprised to see my name pop up on the Terrorist Watch List. I may never be able to fly again.

We decided to go down to Bellaire for lunch today. To our favorite dim sum place called Golden Palace. The boys were so well behaved. They played happily with my chopsticks. We fed them before we left home because it would have been well past their typical lunch time by the time we got down there. Despite stuffing them before we left the house they weren't the list bit deterred from eating and happily polished off half of some sort of vegetable we think. Kevin calls it potatoe like stuff. They also helped me polish off two servings of pork buns. They ate from chopsticks for the first time today. Granted I was the one operating them, but it was still cute none the less. They seemed to really like the food. We will definitely have to go again.

Before we left Bellaire I pulled out the map to see if there was a park, or other destination nearby that might be fun to visit. Just a short trip down 59 lay a lake called Smithers Lake. Neither of us had ever heard of it, much less been so we decided to check it out. As we drove down the familiar path that we had traveled a few times before on the way to A Day in the Country at the George Ranch, and Brazos Bend State Park the lack of signage about the lake didn't go unnoticed, but we continued on anyways. As it turns out we would get our only look at the "lake" as we crossed the small bridge near the George Ranch.

Off in the distance we could see the power plant. As we got closer that was all you could see. The smoke stacks puffing away, and the biggest mountain of coal I have ever seen. Along with a truly impressive array of railroad cars brimming with coal lining the entire outer perimeter. As we joked about what a dud the lake had turned out to be I decided we should stop and get a picture to show you guys. So we pulled over at the very edge of the main entrance to the power plant and hopped out to take a few pictures. We hadn't been there for more than a minute or two, and were actually getting back in the car to leave when a Fort Bend Sheriff's Deputy pulled up lights flashing. The deputy was very nice and after running my drivers' license let us go on our way. So, you guys had better appreciate the beautiful view of "Smithers Lake" we took for you, as it is apparently TOP SECRET! :)