Texas Trip Summer 2012

DESPITE MY BEST EFFORTS, THESE DID NOT LOAD IN ORDER COMPLETELY.....

Right at the end of school, we took the whole family to Texas to visit Grandma and Grandpa Hayes.  It's been 4 years since we went down as a complete family, though Will periodically takes the kids every once in awhile for a visit.

It's REALLY nice that the kids are getting a little bit older and are getting easier to handle.  EVERYTHING is just easier.

The kids were very helpful during the whole "travel" days.

We got down there at almost midnight, so we just hit the hay. 

The next day we took it pretty easy.  Deaven got to hang out with Grandpa and go for a ride in the Corvette.

The girls and I hit a park.

Oh, the below pic was Will at the airport the day before......all ready to go in his car seat, lol!

The second day we were there, we did a 6 hr drive down to South Padre Island on the Gulf of Mexico.

We got in the water right away, which was a nice 85 degrees.

The kids COULD NOT GET ENOUGH of playing in the waves in the warm ocean.

Isn't that just the best??  I remember how magical the ocean was to me too when I was growing up, and in the NW, it is FREEZING.

Montye and Deaven has always had a close bond.

The next day, we spent more beach time.

That night we went to dinner at Pirate's Landing.  There was an INCREDIBLE magician there.  He came to our table and seriously.......we were impressed.

Montye always keeps us laughing.......

After dinner, we came back to the hotel and hit the pool and beach again.  I wanted the kids to know what it was like to play in the ocean at night.

This pic is out of order, but the kids love "drag racing" down the drainage ditch right next to G&G's yard.

Here are the grounds of our hotel.

The last morning we were there we......played in the ocean.  We couldn't get enough.

LOVE playing at the beach with my kids.  LOVE my kids.

The next day, once we got home, we filled the day with random fun, like the boys went to a shooting range.

Peyton, seriously, needs to be an actress.

This was a little turtle down on the beach in South Padre Island.

Peyton cuddling with Grandpa.

Morgan the Cowgirl.

Peyton was going to turn 9 a few days after we got back, so we decided to throw her a little surprise party while we were there.

We all had some fun.

She was THRILLED with her new bag and new shoes.

One of the fun things for the kids at Grandma's house is the outdoor screened in porch.  Morgan loves to have her bedtime story out there.

The last full day we had we hit the Schlitterbahn Water Park.  Rated 2nd best in the whole country.....and it IS that good.  In fact, we played so hard, we took pretty much no pics.  We had a ton of fun though, now that all of our kids can do the fun big things.

Will with his Dad.

We are always so sad to have to leave.  The kids love being in Texas.  Montye and Carol are fantastic grandparents and always show us a great time when we are down there.

Although.......this little Hayes heard seems to be able to make our own fun just fine. :)

Getting ready for a LONG travel day home.  5 hour lay over in San Francisco.

Peyton....with the faces again....

We just love being together and hanging out.  Love, love our little family.

It was a GREAT trip!!!  We had so much fun and it was so low stress.  And yet.......the summer is young.  Here's to Summer 2012!!