We messed with Texas

Since Ethie was gone for two weeks and we'd already had our "Christmas," we were trying to think of a good way to spend the rest of our break together. My wonderful friend Audra (whom I knew in Ohio) and her family moved to Dallas last year, and James' brothers, Jeff (and fam) and David, live there also, so I thought it would be fun to go visit everyone! Driving was much cheaper and since we've done road trips to Ohio, Arkansas, Florida, and Nebraska, we knew we could do it! Plus, it's fun being stuck in the car together for 12 hours both ways :)

We were finally all feeling mostly well, so we took off early in the morning on the 24th. We switched off driving and helping little Lilah. She was such a good traveller! I think it's easier when they're little cause all they do is sit around anyway. We just gave her toys to suck on, a big mirror to look in, and fed her in her seat. We did get her out when we filled up to change her diaper and let her stretch her little legs. She was a sweetheart and we had fun listening to good music, talking about resolutions and 2011, eating loads of Christmas candy, and just having nothing to do but drive and be together!

We got to Audra's house at about 5 pm and it was so fun to see her and her family again! I hadn't even met her beautiful little girl Saffron and the kids were all so sweet! They loved playing with Lilah and Lilah loved having kids to watch since she was missing Ethie's constant entertainment.

Steve and Audra were wonderful to let us join their Christmas Eve and Christmas, and we had so much fun talking, going out to eat, eating Steve's delicious home-cooked food, playing with the kids,

driving around town, watching movies, seeing the cool model trains at the mall,

 

window-shopping fun shops, and just being totally relaxed!

It was very fun.  Thanks guys!

And then we got to go see Jeff, Brandi, and cute Nathan and Natalie!  We hadn't seen anyone but Jeff since last Christmas, so the kids had gotten so big!  We had fun watching them play with their new Christmas gifts (James had fun playing with the toys too :), touring their nice house, eating Brandi's yummy dinner, and talking and catching up!  David came over after he got back from WA and we played Monopoly City until 2 am!  We felt bad that they had to get up and work the next morning!  But it was fun :)  

Oh, and James, Jeff and Nathan challenged each other to a Minute to Win it competition.  James thought it looked too easy on TV, so he tried it... blowing a Christmas card off the table so that only one side falls off and the other stays on.  Not as easy as it looks (I think Jeff won)!

A couple nights later we got to go see David's new house!  It's very nice, but the best part was the ping-pong table in the front room.  James played Jeff and David all night and was sore the next day!

Meanwhile, we had fun playing with the cousins! Cute Natalie loves babies and Lilah loved the attention!

We heart Texas!