Our Texan Adventure

I don't even know where to begin blogging about this...it is going to be a big post. Not only because well it's a post about TEXAS but also because I loved our vacation so much! A week was definitely not long enough for us! Coming back to everyday life was hard for me. I get serious cases of post-vacation blues. Ever since I was a kid I remember crying the day after my birthday slumber parties because I was so sad that it was over. Everyone says don't frown because it's over, smile because it happened! Yea i've never quite connected with that quote. It's just not how i'm built emotionally. Well now that i've revealed a little personal side note of myself here is an overload of pictures from our trip!

So I'd really like never to fly pregnant with a toddler again. Not that the flight was a nightmare buuut let's just say having to pee three times while also trying to change two poopy diapers during one flight is not fun for anyone involved. Especially an emotional preggo lady(ME). And an emotional preggo ladies husband(TYLER). Halli was an answer to my prayers by not having any major breakdowns but there was always the possibility of it at any moment and that was stressful. I looked around at the toddler-less passengers reading their books or relaxing and couldn't help but feel a teensy bit jealous. You tend to take those things for granted before you have kids. I know I did! I attribute the no breakdowns to luckily having a seat for her. She flew for free since she was under 2 but it also means that she was only guaranteed a seat if the plane wasn't full. Otherwise she'd have to sit on our laps the whole time...Phew!
We flew to Oakland Calif and then to Houston. Not too fun but it was a money saver!

Halli's first time seeing an airplane =)

This flight was right during her nap time but I promise she was more excited than she looks in this photo haha.

Dollar store for the win! I bought lots of toys and games etc. that I saved for the flight so that it was her first time seeing them.

This was our flight out of Calif to Houston. She slept on me for half the flight! =)

We got really relaxed with her binky on this trip...she usually only has it for bed and nap time but we decided it would really help for the flight and trip! We were right!

This pic is the night we got to Houston (around 10 pm).

 It was unexpectedly hot and humid! I say unexpected because I had packed fleece footie pajamas for Halli thinking the temp would be the same at night as it is in our apartment back home? I don't know what I was thinking because clearly those were not going to work. So she slept in an oversized but oh so adorable t-shirt the whole time =)

It was so nice to have our own room there. Halli slept in their laundry room and she did great since it was pitch black.

The next morning was so fun because we got to see the niece and nephews who we hadn't seen in almost 6 months! Halli was running around the apartment with them, having the time of her life with all their toys and being a big girl sitting with them at their table.

 Look at her adorable basketball shorts!

Mornings and nights were my favorite. It was just so fun to wake up with everyone and Halli was always happy. Mornings have been one of the hardest parts about coming home. Tyler leaving for work or school and then me and Halli alone for the day. It was a hard adjustment after a week of this!
I loved the nights after the kids went to bed where we would watch movies, documentaries(the documentary on Mitt Romney is a must see! It's called MITT.) and chat endlessly into the night while pigging out on candy =)

This is Katelyn or Katerbug or Katie bug or just Kate =) Her smiles are infectious and heart melting!

Tyler working out in the morning and the boys wanted to copy him =)

So I don't know how many of you know or remember this but Tyler was born in Houston, Texas.

 He moved to Utah when he was 5 after his dad passed away from Leukemia =( This is the home he grew up in. Isn't is beautiful?? Tyler still remembers it and the gorgeous surrounding area.

The temple was closed boo =)

Another example of the fun Halli had. She never usually rides bikes or scooters like this so it was a treat for her!

We went to this huge food chain store there called H-E-B. They had a VACANT parking stall reserved for "customer with child." And it shows a child in the front seat of a cart. Can you believe it? Like it's rare for people to bring children to the grocery store with them in Texas. I would love a parking stall just for me when I go shopping with Halli! Haha.

Here's my favorite outing that we did while we were there. Well it's hard to pick a favorite but this really was so much fun for all. The beach! 

check out Halli's cute little beach shoes I bought just for this trip.

Ben and Charlotte(Tyler's sister) their kids: Katelyn, Liam and Troy.

H ventured to the waters all by herself(with me on her tail). It was in the mid 60's so not too bad but not too warm either.

she loved it!

matching toes =)

 

Tyler doing his Tyler thing. Ben was recording in slow motion on his iphone which looked so cool to watch for some of Tyler's more complicated tricks.

Troy wasn't too happy to be buried but at least we got a good pic out of it!

I eventually put Halli in a skirt. She didn't mind the sand one bit even while eating her sandwich!

cute cousins =)

beautiful trees and scenery!

Houston Zoo. Halli's first zoo.

She mostly refuses strollers and shouts "walk! walk!" whenever we try to put her in one.

Elephants were a favorite because she likes to make the noise and hear Daddy make the noise.

It wasn't hott enough to want to swim but regardless Halli was ready to jump in with all her clothes on!

I love this pic cause it looks like she's trying to plea her case with her Uncle Ben haha.

The Houston Children's museum was incredible to say the least.

"Kidtropolis" was a pretend town just for the kids. Little fake grocery store, pet store, bank, post office, restaurant, painting etc. They even had like a chase bank where the child can get a little debit card to use throughout the town. Halli was too young to really fully enjoy Kidtropolis obviously but she had her moments.

You can see the depth of meaning Halli has placed into this painting as she carefully selects which shade of green to pick next.

Don't be fooled by Halli's lack of enthusiasm in these photos. She doesn't like to smile on command.

Tyler enjoyed the museum as well! =)

Blowing bubbles on their porch was a favorite. Until Halli got the whole bottle poured over her head. What are boy cousins for though right? Haha.

Loving baths in a new and much larger tub than she's used to! 

cousin bath time!

Halli got jealous whenever Tyler held or payed any attention whatsoever to little Katie bug. This photo was taken during Halli's nap. Isn't she precious?

I have never seen bigger parks than the ones we saw in Texas. You can see goal post after goal posts on countless soccer fields!

I think this was a bedtime snack cereal =)

We got to go on a double date while someone in their ward babysat! This was also a favorite memory while there. They took us to a place where you order food while watching a movie! You push that little red button thing there on the table when you're ready to order. We saw The Lego Movie. Which I was hesitant to see but oh my goodness. It was hilarious and i'm so glad we saw it! It was really well done.

Probably the coolest play place i've ever been to in a mall! 

Such an awesome way to display the street name! Such cool architecture and design...

An ice skating rink in a mall! Texas has better malls, play places, parks and museums! Haha jk i'm sure they're not necessarily better they just feel better because we're not used to them.

One of Halli's few stroller moments.

A play area with just buildings with slides and stuff to climb on. Never seen anything like it. Halli makes friends wherever she goes.

Our last night there staying up way too late talking. Ben has given up trying to stay awake haha.

Their complex looks like a country club or something when you first drive into it.

saying goodbye! =( We won't see them again until Christmas!

Goodbye Houston =(

Thanks again Ben and Char for letting us crash your place for a week! =) We miss you!

I can see us going back in a year or so when they are all moved in to the new house they recently closed on!

We loved Texas and everything about it! Except constant traffic all day long and the toll ways. And i'm sure if we had been there in the summer we would have hated the heat. But while we were there the weather was a welcome change!

So if leaving wasn't hard enough...we had a delayed flight in Vegas to make it worse. Trying to stay sane for 3 1/2 hours in an airport dead tired with a sleep deprived toddler. The most frustrating part was #1 that the plane originally meant for our flight was perfectly ready for take off at our scheduled departure time. But another plane needed maintenance and they decided to delay our flight instead of the flight that plane was intended for. Does that makes sense?? I guess Salt Lake City is pretty low on their list of priorities. Grr....

#2 My parents were originally going to pick us up and meet us at the SLC airport but obviously with the delay only my sweet Dad was able to make it(thanks again Dad!) when I know my mom (and I) were so looking forward to it!

#3 we were on Houston time. So 10 pm vegas time was midnight Houston time. I've never been so tired and just done. Halli probably could've gotten away with murder and I wouldn't of cared haha.

We didn't land in SLC until 1 am...didn't get home and to bed until almost 2:30 am. 

Halli the next morning after 10 am. passed out. We had to wake her to take Tyler to work =(  Thankfully Halli had a fun birthday party at Lowe's Extreme Air Sports to go to that day that helped distract me =)

Life is starting to feel back to normal again.

We were lucky enough to go on a date yesterday thanks to my girlfriend Brooke! We used Tyler's Tucano's birthday free meal card for lunch and then saw a matinee of the much anticipated movie Divergent! Loved it! We've both read the book and it definitely met all our expectations.

Pretty sure this is how we all feel and look after eating at Tucano's right? Haha.

p.s. i'm 23 weeks pregnant tomorrow! Seems crazy to me! I have another ultrasound this week to measure my cervix...fingers crossed!