A Big Texas Trip

We starting thinking about a big Texas trip after Wesley was born, trying for a Christmas trip but ultimately deciding that three little ones (and one really little one) would be stressful.  Our Kerr family understood and we revisited the calendars again to settle on an Easter trip.  Somehow a 6 month old seemed easier to fly with than a 3 month old. Fortunately, we were right !! The kids traveled so well.  

To see the most family as possible, we spent ten days on Texas soil.  TEN WHOLE DAYS!  Amazing!  It meant so much to have the kids smothered in love by relatives, comfortable just hanging out at their Grammy and Gran Gran's house, and experiencing "Texas" things.  What sort of Texas things? See below:

Before traveling in to Waco, we stayed overnight with my sister and her family in Denton.  My niece loves kids and kids love her - we had a babysitter for a night out on the town (and, wow, Denton has become quite the town!!  No pics but we adulted quite a bit - late night Asian/Mexican fusion, a bar with a band that was too loud and angry for us, etc etc).

Once we hit Waco, it was time for Waco things.  Just like last trip, we headed first to the Cameron Park zoo. It's the best zoo, y'all!  The kids talked to all the animals, Maryn enjoyed watching them from a distance, and we even got to watch the baby orangutan learn how to climb with his mama. So much fun with our monkeys!

The next day we took the kids to Poage Park, a park I enjoyed immensely as a kid. Obviously they have new equipment, and lots of obstacles courses that JB loved (since he's practicing to be an American Ninja Warrior!)

We spent another fun day at the Mayborn Museum on Baylor Campus.  The kids enjoyed all the hands on activities, playing in the kids-sized pretend city, experimenting in the science rooms, and learning about the mammoths at the National Monument over the mammoth bones. (The video about their life and death led to lots of questions from JB about how they died, why they died, when they died...)

One of my dearest and oldest friends drove down from Dallas with her two kids (5 and 2), who quickly warmed up and jumped in to play. Gran Gran took everyone on trips around the pasture in the new Mule.

Speaking of Gran Gran, he and JB spent a lot of quality time together reading books, finding Waldo, and sorting beer caps. (Go ahead and Pin that one - great educational game!!)

While JB and Gran Gran did "guy stuff" around the pasture, Mother and I took the youngest kids to the Silos.  Can you believe I've never been? Even though we have traveled to Waco several times since?  I didn't know what to expect, and totally underestimated them.  WOW.  Definitely a destination, and I think it's wonderful that the Gaines have brought something so great to Waco (my hometown that I've always loved, even before it gained such positive notoriety). 

(I did not buy anything - but I did find lots of cute stuff at The Findery.  Just down the street and owned by friends.  Check it out if you go!!)

When we got home from our shopping adventure, we found Gran Gran and JB hoeing weeds in the (6 acres) of pasture.  JB took his chores very seriously while we were in Texas.

Oh, and the Mule - the kids rode that thing every day.  I don't know if my dad actually hauls stuff, but over those past 10 days he hauled children multiple times a day!

Now, this Mule contained an engine, but my brother and sister-in-law had real live donkeys at their house!  Every day at 5:15 they graze in their pasture, so every day at 5:10 we'd go up and feed them carrots. The kids had a blast.  Until they "hee hawed" a little too loud while impatiently waiting for carrots, and Maryn, as expected, lost her mind.  

One day we went down and met some Longhorns.  Seriously, Texas.  GAWD, I miss it...

You know what else I miss about Texas?  HEB, and their fresh tortilla stations.  (However, I know my Dallas friends are saying "we miss HEB, too!"  I feel ya. But you can drive an hour and get it.)

I also miss Chicken Fried Steak. Now, Georgia has some darn good fried chicken, but it's not steak, fried like a chicken.  It's very different. (Fortunately my sister-in-law has a pantry full of cast iron skillets and makes a delicious anything - including a CFS!)

All the Easter celebrations I wrote about here - another great part of the trip.

And, lastely, the bluebonnets were in full bloom. (But that will be a whole other post - too important. You Texans will understand).

Such a wonderful trip and wonderful memories for our family!!  I'm so thankful for all the family members and friends who drove in and spent time with us (including my college roommate who swung by late on Sunday night on the trip back to Austin!) And for James who proactively booked tickets and planned this long trip because he knew how important it is for his wife (even though he still can't understand the whole "Texas" thing.)  :)