Texas-Day Four

We convinced my sister to stay an extra day, so we were able to enjoy all of Saturday together.  We went to the Houston Zoo.  Lots of fun!  Then when we got back to the hotel my sis and I took the kids swimming.  Again, the water was so warm.  And the weather was just gorgeous too.  We left hubby laying on the bed getting ready to change into workout clothes.  Any guesses as to where I found him when we came back from swimming?  Not drenched with sweat from all those pushups and situps, that's for sure.  He was exactly where we left him, except asleep.  We wanted to see my cousins who live in Texas one more time before we left so we met them for dinner that night.   

On our way to the zoo.

Baby B chillin' on the hippo.

I only posted this one because I think it's a flattering picture of that lady!

In the petting zoo.  He's lucky Daddy was there or we wouldn't have been going in.  Petting zoos are not my thing!  Here he is asking, "Why there so much poo-poo all over the ground?" as he rubs his hand through the dirt.  Yeah, petting zoos, not my thing.

C on the carousel with Aunt Net (of course!)

Taking a 2nd ride with Daddy! 

No, he didn't pick me once!  But, it's ok.  I got in some good snuggle time with Baby B!

Asking our new friend for directions.

Outside the reptile house.  His favorite!!

Hubby: "He's 3 feet tall?!?"  Guess it's obvious who takes him to all those well-child visits!

Crawling in the tunnel through one of the aquariums!

This is what happens when Aunt Net goes to the bathroom and leaves hubby in charge of the stroller...

...and her baby!

Hope they still let us babysit!

Showing off his "my aunt rocks" shirt at dinner!

C with my cousin Kimberly.

C and my soon-to-be (right Timothy?!?  I don't know why I wrote that, he doesn't read my blog!) cousin-in-law, Brenna

Texas-Day Three

Friday morning was Grandma's funeral.  It was such a nice service.  It really did feel like a celebration of life.  My uncle wrote and read a fabulous account of Grandma's life.  I read/cried my way through some scripture, and there was much singing and praising the Lord.  I have always loved my grandparents' little church.  I remember sitting in those pews every Sunday during my summer visits.  Hearing "amens" and "praise the Lords" coming from all over the sanctuary.  This morning was no different.  It was like a collective sigh of relief was being breathed that Grandma's heart had belonged to Jesus.  That she had known and embraced Christ's words, "I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me."  I have lost several loved ones, but I have yet to experience a loss that is not accompianed by the peace of knowing my loved one is in heaven.  Grief is hard enough...I can only imagine how hard it is when it comes with that kind of uncertainty.  It was a beautiful service.

After the service, everyone was invited to stay for a huge potluck spread.  There was so much food.  When my mom had asked my uncle "Everyone stays for lunch?"  He replied, "Yep, everyone who comes eats.  That's how we do it!"  Did I mention that I love this little church?  My aunt had also arranged for there to be nursery workers for those of us who had travelled from out of town.  It was so nice for hubby and I to sit in the service together.  Because you know if C would've been in there, hubby would've had to take him out sooner or later. 

On our way to the national cemetary.

I thought he looked quite dapper in his little sweater vest. 

I don't know what it is about cemeteries that makes them so much fun to play in.  Oh, the innocence of a child. :) 

My cousin, Timothy, and me.

I thought hubby looked pretty sharp in his dress blues. 

This was right after someone asked my sister what was wrong with baby B (he was fussing)  She replied that he was wet, cold, tired, cranky.  Then I said, "Which one are you?"  Then she looked at me like this...

See?  He was tired!

So was he...

Friday night was definitely one of the highlights of the trip for me.  All the cousins who were in town went out to dinner.  Then we ended up back at the bar in our hotel.  There were white russians and karaoke...and that's all I'm saying. 

Texas-Day Two

Day Two started off with some quality time with baby B.  We got to hang out with him almost every morning.  My sister would drop him off at our room so she could get ready.  It was so much fun to watch C with his newest little cousin.  He was pretty good about being gentle.  He really wanted to squeeze him!!  Pretty sure he did a few times, but baby B took it all in stride.  He's such an easy-going little guy.  (Takes after his father!)  Right, sis? 

Sweetness.

After we had breakfast downstairs (which was a million times better than dinner the night before) we headed out to the Sea Center.  I wanted to take C there while we were in town.  I remember my grandparents taking me and thinking it was so awesome!  I also remember shopping for a souvenior in the huge giftshop.  Which, is actually a little counter with a few toys and a cash register.  It also took us all of 5 minutes to walk through the place.  My how things are different when you're all grown up.  But, C thought it was fun.  So, did the older boys (hubby and my brother) even though they acted bored to tears the whole time.  They liked it.

This was a pretty regular sight on our trip.  "I want to sit by Aunt Net.  I want to walk with Aunt Net.  Aunt Net carry me.  Can I go to Aunt Net's room?  Aunt Net, Aunt Net, Aunt Net..."  The child has a new obsession.  It must be her pretty blonde hair.

Checking out the "touch tank" with Uncle J.  C touched "one of those things that Nemo lives in that I won't even attempt to spell." 

They have a boardwalk that goes out over the water.  That's C running with his new eel.  We got it from the huge giftshop. ;)

After the Sea Center we went over to my great aunt Hazel's house to hang out with the fam.  She happens to live across from a park.  We spent quite a bit of time over there, taking advantage of that warm Texas weather!  Below are the pictures of the infamous ant attack.  Here we are, posing for a photo.  I would like to point out that my sister wanted to pose "over by that big tree." 

After this lovely photo, we decided to get one of us with my brother and C.  So, we climbed up on the playground equipment.  My sis and I were next to eachother on the double slides.  My brother was acting unenthusiastic behind us and C was on Net's lap (of course, I did mention his obsession with her, right?)  Right before hubby snaps the photo, I happen to look down and notice that there are ants all over the slide and my sister's pants.  She practically threw C off her lap as we both scrambled off the slides.  I checked my own pants first, of course!  After deciding I was safe, I came to my sister's aid.  This is me slapping the crap out of her legs.  Notice the boys are nowhere to be found.  Hubby is snapping photos.  My brother is taking video (which I hope I can figure out how to post) and C was probably laughing at us.  After we got all the ants off and checked her shoes, three times, Aunt Net ran back to the house.  But, not before determining where she picked up all her little friends.  I thought it was really strange that they were all over her and not me.  Even though we were both sitting on the slides together.  Well, we went back to the site of our photo.  Remember, the one she insisted we take by the big tree?  And there was her footprint right in the middle of a huge aunt hill. 

This is C making fun of Aunt Net.  He ran around screaming "There's bugs on my pants!"  It was awesome.  The whole experience was awesome, for me.  Until we got back to the house and all of a sudden I feel something crawling on my forehead.  An ant!  I promptly joined my sister in the bathroom where I made her do a thourough inspection of my hair.  As we stood there in our underwear checking ourselves for stowaway ants we realized what a great memory we were making.  "Remember that time we were in Aunt Hazel's bathroom in our underwear?!?"  Classic.

C had a great time playing with my cousin Timothy.  He especially enjoyed stealing his hat.

Baby B slept the entire time we were there.  Finally, my sister had to wake him up to feed him before we left for the visitation.  C wanted to help.  Baby B is a heavy sleeper.  Even all of C's poking and prodding didn't do the job.

We left from Hazel's for my Grandma's visitation.  The funeral home was very accomodating and had a spare room set up with a tv and dvd player for the kids to hang out in.  C was really the only one who spent any time in there.  Baby B and the other little one, Morgan, are still non-verbal.  So, I guess their parents weren't worried about them being in the room.  I did not want my fears of C saying something like "why is that lady sleeping?" to be realized...so he and Daddy hung out for most of the evening in the extra room.  C did play with his second cousin Morgan in the back of the chapel for a little while.  These two really seemed to hit it off.

Their bond was cemented with cheezits.

The visitation was a nice time of remembering my Grandma.  We looked through old photo albums and visited with family.  I thought my Grandma looked really good.  Really just like she was sleeping.  Which is ironic because now she is more awake and alive than she's ever been.  She had so many beautiful flowers.  The ones on her casket were just gorgeous.  Tons of lavender roses and other pinks and purples.  When my mom went to arrange for the flowers, my uncle Richard told her "I don't care what you get.  Just make sure she has a big ass casket spray."  And she did.  Have a big ass, beautiful casket spray.

By the time we got back to the hotel it was C's bedtime.  But, hubby, being the indulgent type told C he could get in the pool.  I didn't want to.  It was bedtime.  And it was cold!  But, I'm so glad we went down.  The water was so warm.  It felt awesome.  The moon was very pretty and we all had such a fun time.  It was totally worth staying up late.  The swimming was worth it.  The getting out of the pool and freezing in the cold air...not so much.

Texas-Day One

C was possibly the cutest thing ever to set foot in an airport wheeling his new suitcase behind him!  I was picking out a new luggage tag the night before we left and he spotted this.  He wheeled it up and down the aisle and then asked if he could have it.  I guess he was expecting me to say no because when I said, "sure bud," his face lit up with pure joy!!  "Oh, oh!  Now I am just like Daddy!  Look at me!  Now I have my own suitcase just like daddy!"  He repeated these phrases over and over as he followed me around Target with his new prized posession.  He brought smiles to many faces in the airport as they watched him proudly wheeling his very own suitcase around the terminal.

C went on his first airplane ride when he was only 6 weeks old.  I'm positive he's flown more times in his 3 years than most people fly in their entire lives.  And most of the time we fly, we do it without Daddy's help.  So, yes, I would say that we have got this whole flying thing down.  I gave my sister (who was flying with her 4 month old for the first time) tons of "tips of the trade" before she embarked on her journey to Texas.  I am, after all, an expert.

I know what to pack...how to juggle luggage, a carseat, and a child...and how to entertain a little one during an endless layover...basically, I know it all.  Except what not to dress your child in on the day of your flight.  Yep, that'd be my three year old in the chair and Mr. TSA's blue-gloved hand patting him down...

After dumping all our stuff onto the belt for the x-ray machine, taking off our shoes, stripping my sweater and "declaring" C's sippy cup full of water, I sent C through the metal detector.  Beep.  Hmm..that's weird.  "You gotta car in your pocket buddy?"  Lady TSA asks.  I knew he didn't have any cars...he didn't even have pockets in what I dressed him in...I'm a pro, remember?  "Mom, check his pockets for me."  C walks back through and I double check to make sure I'm right.  Yep, no pockets.  But, oh wait, would those be giant metal snaps all the way down both his pant legs?  Yes, yes they would.  After mentally kicking myself, I tell her, "It must be his pants."  She takes a look and I assume we'll call it a day and be good to go.  Nope.  She's actually calling for Mr. TSA to do a search.  Ooohh goody, this should be fun.  He takes C to the side and tells him to "stand on those peanuts right there."  C stands on the footprints on the rug as he is instructed and thus begins the pat down.  C thought it was hilarious!  He was smiling the whole time.  And while Mr. TSA is saying things like, "Ok, I'm just going to pat the backs of your legs now.  Ok, I'm going to use this wand to check for metal under your clothes."  C is saying things like, "Why that machine beeping at Gordon (he is channeling Gordon the train at this point...am I the only one who got that?)  What's Thomas (now the beeping machine) doing to Gordon.  Why's he beeping like that at him?  Oh, that jet (the beeping machine) is taking off now.  It's flying away."  There were several people pointing and smiling.  Even if it wasn't my kid, I would've thought TSA searching a 3 year old was pretty comical.  I asked Lady TSA if I could take a picture.  She asked Mr. TSA.  He looked at me like I was crazy, but agreed.  Then Cranky Old Man TSA ran over and said, "Please do not take any pictures of our employees."  Ok, you are not going to search my toddler and not let me document this moment for the scrapbook blog!  I told him that I'd already asked permission and that it was just a picture of my son.  (And Mr. TSA's blue-gloved hand...shh...don't tell!)  Our flight was much less eventful than our trip through security.  C has always been a great traveller.  This time was no different, and with the excpetion of ten minutes of crying during our descent because his ears hurt, he was a dream.   

Man, do I love portable dvd players.  Seriously one of the best inventions ever!!!  After getting the rental van and swinging back through to get my sister and baby B, we were on our way to our hotel.  When we got there we settled in and met up with my parents for dinner.  We ate at the place downstairs in the hotel.  We ordered two pizzas.  One deep dish hawaiin and one thin crust pepperoni.  What we got was two plates of pizza soup.  Seriously, soup.  She gave us two of the same deep dish pizza and they didn't even look done.  Our suspicion was confirmed when I removed a slice, all the cheese slid off, and the freshly made triangle was quickly filled up with oozing goop.  Yeah, it was gross.  The waitress told my mom, "I can get you a thin crust pepperoni for half price since I messed up."  Um, how about you get us a thin crust pepperoni because that's what we ordered and give us these two beauties for free.  Thanks.  My sis and I left with our tired kiddos before the bill came, but later my mom told us that she did only charge them for one of the "pizzas."  I left my extra room key at the front desk for hubby.  C and I snuggled up in bed together and around midnight hubby got in.  The next morning C got up way too early (that always happens on vacation!)  He climbed out of bed and started speed walking around the beds pretending to be a race car.  He was stopped right in between the beds when hubby shot up and said, "C!"  He had no idea his daddy had snuck in during the night and he freaked out (and not in a good way.)  He just started bawling and curled up in a little ball on the floor.  Daddy apologized for scaring him and after some cuddling with Mama, he was over it and ready to start Day Two... 

Little bit...

...of cuteness to tide you over until I have time to post all about our trip to Texas!