Texas - Thanksgiving 2011

We were especially thankful this year to be able to take a family trip to Texas right before Thanksgiving--to Austin, Tyler, and San Antonio.  The kids were excited to see where we used to live and we were blessed to get over sicknesses just in time to make it possible.

SCC's kindergarten teacher suggested that she try writing about her trip in a book and including some pictures.  Here are the pages she wrote as a summary of our trip.

A few more fun memories from our trip:

Eating dinner at Pappasito's at 8pm our first night in Austin, after a 45-minute wait even though the kids were complaining and asking if they could go to bed.  Because we were in Texas.  And because it was Pappasito's.

Enjoying some time with my kids to do whatever we wanted to do in Austin while TEC was in conferences...without the pressure of laundry or housework or schedules.

Lady Bird Lake

Zilker Botanical Gardens

Texas State History Museum

Hearing SCC say to brother TLC on the morning we were going to drive to Tyler after a few days in Austin: "TLC, are you excited to finally be going back home today?"  They were both born in Tyler, and were more nostalgic about it than we realized.

Sitting on a bench in Bergfeld Park and watching our kids play on the same playground we used to walk to from our house.  Realizing how much they've grown (not to mention the two youngest born since we left Texas).

Here's what we looked like the last time we were here...

October 2007

Walking around Caldwell Zoo, still the best zoo ever, with our good friends the Sandidges.  They were nice to put us up in their fancy trailer and didn't make us feel like the overwhelming house guests (family of seven!) that we were.  It was so good to see them.

Again, it brought back a lot of memories...

Taking pictures of our kids "standing like a flamingo" with Dad...just like we used to do.

then...

...and now

Driving by the old house several times, trying to catch someone at home.  Settling for a picture outside and a peek in the front window.  It looks like a young family lives there now.

Visiting our old neighbors, the Casas, and finding them as hospitable as always.  We stopped by a second time on our way out of town so RVC could see her old friend Bela.  Fun to see how much they have grown.

Visiting the courthouse where TEC used to work and going to lunch with the Judge, Miss Thana, and Miss Sandy.  And getting our Don Juan's fix to boot.

Observing my kids' breakfasts of choice at some of the hotels we stayed at.  "Are Apple Jacks a fruit, mom?"

Hearing Christmas music and watching Holiday shows at Sea World San Antonio while we walked around in shorts.

Listening to our "Texas soundtrack" in the rental mini van and hearing our kids' sweet voices singing out along with Gene Autry, "Deep in the heart of Texas!"

Children's Park - Tyler, TX

Rose Rudman Trail...off the trail

The Alamo - San Antonio, TX

River Walk - San Antonio