Roooooaaaddddd TRIP!!!!!

Over spring break last month and after our birthday festivities in Estes we loaded up and headed to Texas! It was a short trip, but the journey was part of the fun! :)

We had a great time! If you were to ask Josh about it...he excitedly tells people we stayed in 4 hotels and no houses! Which, is true! Out of 5 nights we were gone, we were only in the same hotel for 2 nights once and that was in San Antonio. 

Our journey started on a Tuesday, first thing in the morning....oh, and it was also Samantha's 3rd birthday that day! 

We drove all the way to Abilene the first night. It is always so fun to do this drive for me because I never know where my mind will take me. This time, it took me back to USTA Zone and Major Zone tournaments that I played in when we lived in Midland. I believe I played in one in Abilene...but, anyways, it all made me smile! We were also interested to see Dyess AFB that is there. We didn't take the time to go on it, but, I told Eric that if for whatever reason we are stationed there...I think I could handle it...plus, there were brick ranch houses with acreage EVERYWHERE!!! :) 

Here is the celebration in the car :)

Our first destination was San Antonio. I was so excited to see Daddy B and Steve and to have them meet Samantha! Eric and I also really like San Antonio. In fact, we really thought we were going to be there as his first assignment after residency. They had must fill slots that year and 2 of the bases were in our top 5, but obviously that didn't happen! 

We met up with Daddy B at his place and then met Steve at one of our favorite places, PF Changs!

We were all very excited to see Daddy B...and, well, sorry Daddy B if their excitement was a bit too much!! It can be for me! ;-)

this is Sam giving a fist bump...

they were doing pretty good considering they'd been in the car all day and had gone swimming earlier too!! :)

Now on to dinner!!!! aren't they cute??!?!?!

and yes, they still talk about Uncle Steve....

We went back over to Daddy B's the next morning. I guess Josh and Sam were getting tips on where we should drive next... :)-

We really did have a great time...it was just way too short...which, I guess it always is....

We were on to our next adventure....

We played tourists!!! 

We went downtown and weren't sure what we were going to do, but it ended up being a wonderful, memorable day with the kids(and reliving a bit of my own childhood!) For those of you that remember....The Purple Store in the Rivercenter Mall is no longer there! :)-

Moving on...we did the boat ride. I wasn't sure how the kids would handle it, but they did great. Josh didn't say a word the entire time. In fact, it appeared that he was intently listening to our boat guide. Samantha was that child who kept putting her arms outside the boat after our guide told us the one rule...please keep all hands inside the blue rail...yeah, well, that's Sam I guess!

I was trying to get her picture, but she kept turning around and putting her arm out.

Josh: the thinker

She eventually figured it out and enjoyed the ride!

the ducklings helped..

still observing...

After our ride, we did the next very touristy thing and ate at Casa Rio. Again, I'm not sure how many times I've eaten here in my life..but definitely through alot of different seasons!! It was fun!! Now, here are some pictures that Eric took. It's been so nice now that he has an iphone because you get to see me too!(I think that's a good thing)
Sam's grumpy face..

 Sam's happy face..

 and well..the next 3 pictures you can see for yourself what the kids were arguing about...

 THIS is what Eric did.... :) we had a mariachi band come sing and Josh chose the song....

and then he decided to serenade me..... it was hilarious...and sweet...

we walked around the alamo for just a minute. It was getting really hot and we wanted to get back to the car. I turned to walk down a street to the parking lot(which I thought was ours) and Josh yelled at me to stop...that our car was not over there and that it was the other way....

Eric and I just stopped, looked at each other, and realized that he was right....

I'm glad to have him around and that he pays such close attention to where we are, where we are going, etc.....Although, if you ask him to go find his sunglasses in his room(and they are laying right on the floor) he won't be able to find them! ;)-

and this is how Sam felt....

Now, this is only half of our trip....the other half is with Christi and her family...

which will be next!! :)