Recently my parents moved from the beautiful hills of Tennessee to the wide open spaces of Texas and have been begging us to come for a visit ever since, SOOO...here we are! And here's the run down of our marvelous Texas adventures!
Sunday, Sept. 22nd- We woke a little later than we had planned, then finished packing up and closing up shop and hit the road around 10am. I was not looking forward to Jett's first experience being in his car seat for an 8 hr ride, but we were all pleasantly surprised at how well he actually did. We stopped just a few times, for short, stretching/eating/bathroom breaks, and rolled into Allen, TX around 6pm. Exhausted and ready to rest, we settled in quickly and explored our surroundings. The boys couldn't wait to explore the pool and immediately headed in that direction. Scott hung out with them and me, DD, PawPaw, and Jett strolled on over to the nearby park/playground. Jett enjoyed the swings as always and we enjoyed watching him enjoy. As the sun was rapidly setting, we headed back to the apartment to settle in for the night. Our new sleeping arrangements made some changes throughout the night, with Joel joining Scott, the baby and I, inevitably sending Scott to join the boys on the living room floor. Last night was better, so I think we've finally figured out the best sleeping set up.
Monday, Sept 23rd- Ready to get the party started here in TX, and fill our hungry bellies we got ready and headed to Cracker Barrel for some good eats. Jett was more interested in running around the resturant, so daddy quickly choked down his meatloaf and went on the chase. We finished our meals and joined Jett out into the beautiful, sun shiny day. Joel schooled me in a game of checkers, then we were off to our next designation, cousins James & Sarah's house. We spent about an hour chatting with the Schwartz family and meeting some new Texas friends, then headed to check out the local Ikea. I've heard wonderful things about the place, but had never been to one, so it was a treat to explore the place. I can see why everyone raves about them. Jett had fallen asleep in the car so Scott, Jo, and Jared decided to chill with him in the AC while me, DD, Jordy, and Joel went in to check the place out. By the time we reached the end, everyone had joined us and was ready for an ice cream cone break. I had a purse scare....my purse was hanging on the cart and the cart was put back with my purse still attached. Not until we had headed downstairs did I remember my purse was not with me, sending Joel racing back up to retrieve it for me, which he did....WHEW! James had invited the guys to come back to his place later that evening for pizza and the Bronco game, so we returned to the apartment for some pool time. DD and Jared headed to the pool. The rest of us headed to the park. Sarah had let us borrow this really cute car/push toy for Jett to ride on our walking trips, and Jett loves it! So mommy pushed Jett, while Daddy, Jordy, Joel and PawPaw played some basketball. The day was gorgeous, started out cool, but quickly warmed up in the Texan sun. While we waited for the guys to play ball, Jett and I did a little swinging and sliding at the park. After a while, we were pretty warmed up and ready for a cool pool. And a cool pool we definitely got! The pool was quite chilly, but we all braved the waters. Jett loves water play, so with his lips chattering the entire time, had a blast!
After a while the guys headed back upstairs to get ready for their night of football entertainment. Me, DD, and Jetty hung out at the pool a bit longer, then followed up the stairs to clean up. The guys left and the girls (plus the babe) went in search of some yummy dinner. We found our yummy dinner at Uncle Julios! Delicious Mexican food! We had our fill of Margaritas and Quesadillas and Coconut, Caramel Ice Cream...YUM. We spent the rest of the evening relaxing with a Netflix movie. The guys enjoyed their night also. Oh, and the Bronco's won.
Tuesday, September 24th- Today we woke and quickly formulated a plan for the day. Our first stop was to Hobby Lobby. Since I don't have one near me, I wanted to go check the place out. Oh, how I love that store!! When I hit the Jackpot $$$,,,,I will be headed to Ikea and Hobby Lobby! I picked up a few cute items for my Living room and got lots more decorating ideas. Jett enjoyed running up and down all the aisles, finding random stuffed animals to snuggle. The purpose of our trip there was really for ME, so I trusted our group of 8 to handle Jett while I shopped, so imagine my shock (and fear) when at one point my 7 "helpers" started to ask each other where Jett was. Our moment of being frantic was THANKFULLY very short as a friendly Hobby Lobby employee came around the corner with Jett in hand wondering if we were missing a cute little boy. Can't take your eyes off of him for ONE second, people! After our adventuresome escapades at HL, we went on over to the "Office" to see where DD and PawPaw spend all their time, and meet the team. The office is VERY nice/new. Of course, DD had her area set up very cute and organized. We shook hands and greeted everyone, who were all very friendly and welcoming. We didn't hang around too long, our bellies were telling us it was time for some lunch. Lunch awaited us at Macaroni Grill and it was absolutely AH-MAZING! DELISH!! With very full/happy bellies we headed back to the Apt for a little down time. Once home, I drifted off to a sweet nap while DD led me in a little meditation, we both napped for about an hour. PawPaw, Scoot, and Jordy hung out and entertained Jett, and Joel and Jared went for a swim. Later that evening me, DD, and Jett ventured off to WalMart to stock up for our time at the Lodge, while the guys hung out at home and PawPaw went in to work for a while. We arrived back home, put groceries away, put Jett to sleep, waited for PawPaw to get home then all sat down and played a new game, "Wits and Wagers"....that was a lot of fun. Team PawPaw & Scott WON! Then is was time to get some sleep for our trip to the Lodge the next day.
Wednesday, September 25th- After a pretty good night's sleep, we all awoke and began to pack up to head to the GreatWolf Lodge! First, we stopped for a bite to eat at the nearby Whataburger, then made it to the Lodge around 1pm, just in time for some water sliding fun! Everyone had/is having a blast and absolutely loves everything about this hotel!
From the adorable decor/construction, to the Super Fun Waterslides, our comfy/cute accommodations, and more. The guys went from one slide to another, up the stairs, down the slides, over and over again. Me and DD took turns hanging out with Jetty, who was just enthralled by every aspect of his surroundings. He is a natural water baby and loved every minute of being in the water, from the cool pools, baby slides, to the warm Jacuzzi...he was in water park heaven.
We slipped and slid and swam and floated til about 5pm then headed up to the room for the night. Hungry and exhausted we ate, changed and settled in to the room. Around 6pm we all decided to go to the Arcade for about an hour and play some games. Highlights: Scott and Jared won a hat for Joel (San Antonio Spurs), of which he was extremely grateful. Jett thoroughly enjoyed running around the arcade and looking at all the bright, colorful lights. FUN was had by all. Around 8pm we went down to the Lobby for the nightly bedtime story by the Grand fireplace and show, all of which Jett had no interest in whatsoever, so we just ran around after him instead. We stopped at the Sweet Snack Shop for some treats then headed up for the night. More fun to be had tomorrow!
Thursday, September 26- Water park time!! Back we go for water fun...from about 9-11:30, we splashed and played, then Scott and I volunteered to go up and bring lunch back down for everyone. We all had a lunch/snack break then it was back to get wet.
Having had our fill for the day, we all slowly trickled back up to the room to shower and get DRY. Jett and I were the last to go up; he had fallen asleep so I decided to just hang downstairs til he woke. Around 5ish, we were all ready for some dinner and headed to one of the hotel restaurants, Camp Critter. Our meal concluded with mixed reviews, but I enjoyed my signature Great Wolf burger.
Next, we met up with the crew who had journeyed on ahead to the Game Room. After our fun there we mosied on over the Snack Shop and got some treats. Got back to the room around 8pm and got in the beds, we were all tired.
Friday, September 27th- Our last day at the GREAT lodge. :-( Much better sleep last night, thank goodness. Everyone, minus PawPaw & DD hit the Loose Moose breakfast buffet...yummy. Then, back up to pack up. We got everything together pretty quickly and headed back down from our 8th (top) floor home to the lobby to settle our bill. Quick pit stops at the gift shop and game room (to redeem our ticket cards), then out to the water park for a last hurrah before we left.
Being it was Friday, the guest traffic had picked up quite a bit, making the lines a little longer and pools a little more crowded. We surely did enjoy having the place practically to ourselves for a couple days at least. We all love the lodge and hope to return someday soon.
We said our final goodbyes or "howls" around 2:30pm. As soon as we got to the apt we unloaded and hit the showers. My mom's friend/co worker/neighbor, Jet, stopped by for a nice visit, then later the boys went down stairs and met her kids, 2 girls and 1 boy, my boys' ages. They are hoping to hang out with him a bit tomorrow. All the guys, including Jetty, headed off toward Dallas to a video game store in search of a new game for the Nintendo system. DD and I went out for a nice treat, a massage! But first, I had decided I finally was going to be brave enough to get the nose piercing I've always wanted. We drove all the way to the shop only to learn nursing mothers could not get piercings, an infection could endanger baby. Bummer, but breastfeeding is more important to me at the moment. So off to Top Feet to relax and de-stress with 60mins of pure bliss...body massage and reflexology. Very nice treat! Afterwards, we made a quick stop at the Taco Cabana. Yumminess!! Love having "girl time" with my mama! Once home we spent the rest of the night hanging out and playing games as a family. Tomorrow is our last full day in TX.
Saturday, September 28th- Last day in TX. We've had lots of fun and I'm so glad we've been able to come. I'm ready to get back home and back to life as we normally know it. DD and PawPaw had to go in to the office for a while today, so we are hanging out around the apartment for a bit. This morning, me and Jett went to Krogers to pick up a few groceries, some meds for Scoot, and get my coffee fix via Starbucks. Scoot was not feeling well, the boys were sleeping, except for Jared, who was on the computer, and mom was studying. Right after we left, DD realized it was just me and Jett and after a few failed attempts at reaching me on my cell phone, jumped in her car and surprised me in the Dairy section..haha. She was hoping we could hang out in Starbucks together, but Jett was being a little too feisty, so I quickly shopped, grabbed my cup of joe and headed back to try to enjoy my coffee in peace.Out on the patio, I drank my coffee, in semi-peace, with Jett in tow. We all enjoyed some Kroger donuts and got ready for the day. Me, Jett, Daddy, Jordy, and Joel decided to head to the park for awhile. Today was the first day the sun hasn't been shining, it's overcast, but feels nice...warm with a cool breeze...perfect park weather. I love the little park near DD's...it's just a short walk down the path and the play equipment is very cute, clean, fun! Jett, of course, prefers the swings, but also enjoyed a couple of slides. Even in a cooler, overcast day, it's easy to work up a sweat quickly. Jordon and Joel cut out early on us and me, Daddy and baby lingered a bit longer. Once back in the apartment it was time for DD and Paw Paw to head to the office for the day. Jett took a short nap, I did some laundry, cooked some pizzas for lunch and the guys played video games. Jared went down the the clubhouse to use the computers and work out, he likes going down there. The rest of the guys went to check on him.
Tuesday, September 24th- Today we woke and quickly formulated a plan for the day. Our first stop was to Hobby Lobby. Since I don't have one near me, I wanted to go check the place out. Oh, how I love that store!! When I hit the Jackpot $$$,,,,I will be headed to Ikea and Hobby Lobby! I picked up a few cute items for my Living room and got lots more decorating ideas. Jett enjoyed running up and down all the aisles, finding random stuffed animals to snuggle. The purpose of our trip there was really for ME, so I trusted our group of 8 to handle Jett while I shopped, so imagine my shock (and fear) when at one point my 7 "helpers" started to ask each other where Jett was. Our moment of being frantic was THANKFULLY very short as a friendly Hobby Lobby employee came around the corner with Jett in hand wondering if we were missing a cute little boy. Can't take your eyes off of him for ONE second, people! After our adventuresome escapades at HL, we went on over to the "Office" to see where DD and PawPaw spend all their time, and meet the team. The office is VERY nice/new. Of course, DD had her area set up very cute and organized. We shook hands and greeted everyone, who were all very friendly and welcoming. We didn't hang around too long, our bellies were telling us it was time for some lunch. Lunch awaited us at Macaroni Grill and it was absolutely AH-MAZING! DELISH!! With very full/happy bellies we headed back to the Apt for a little down time. Once home, I drifted off to a sweet nap while DD led me in a little meditation, we both napped for about an hour. PawPaw, Scoot, and Jordy hung out and entertained Jett, and Joel and Jared went for a swim. Later that evening me, DD, and Jett ventured off to WalMart to stock up for our time at the Lodge, while the guys hung out at home and PawPaw went in to work for a while. We arrived back home, put groceries away, put Jett to sleep, waited for PawPaw to get home then all sat down and played a new game, "Wits and Wagers"....that was a lot of fun. Team PawPaw & Scott WON! Then is was time to get some sleep for our trip to the Lodge the next day.
Wednesday, September 25th- After a pretty good night's sleep, we all awoke and began to pack up to head to the GreatWolf Lodge! First, we stopped for a bite to eat at the nearby Whataburger, then made it to the Lodge around 1pm, just in time for some water sliding fun! Everyone had/is having a blast and absolutely loves everything about this hotel!
Thursday, September 26- Water park time!! Back we go for water fun...from about 9-11:30, we splashed and played, then Scott and I volunteered to go up and bring lunch back down for everyone. We all had a lunch/snack break then it was back to get wet.
Friday, September 27th- Our last day at the GREAT lodge. :-( Much better sleep last night, thank goodness. Everyone, minus PawPaw & DD hit the Loose Moose breakfast buffet...yummy. Then, back up to pack up. We got everything together pretty quickly and headed back down from our 8th (top) floor home to the lobby to settle our bill. Quick pit stops at the gift shop and game room (to redeem our ticket cards), then out to the water park for a last hurrah before we left.
Saturday, September 28th- Last day in TX. We've had lots of fun and I'm so glad we've been able to come. I'm ready to get back home and back to life as we normally know it. DD and PawPaw had to go in to the office for a while today, so we are hanging out around the apartment for a bit. This morning, me and Jett went to Krogers to pick up a few groceries, some meds for Scoot, and get my coffee fix via Starbucks. Scoot was not feeling well, the boys were sleeping, except for Jared, who was on the computer, and mom was studying. Right after we left, DD realized it was just me and Jett and after a few failed attempts at reaching me on my cell phone, jumped in her car and surprised me in the Dairy section..haha. She was hoping we could hang out in Starbucks together, but Jett was being a little too feisty, so I quickly shopped, grabbed my cup of joe and headed back to try to enjoy my coffee in peace.Out on the patio, I drank my coffee, in semi-peace, with Jett in tow. We all enjoyed some Kroger donuts and got ready for the day. Me, Jett, Daddy, Jordy, and Joel decided to head to the park for awhile. Today was the first day the sun hasn't been shining, it's overcast, but feels nice...warm with a cool breeze...perfect park weather. I love the little park near DD's...it's just a short walk down the path and the play equipment is very cute, clean, fun! Jett, of course, prefers the swings, but also enjoyed a couple of slides. Even in a cooler, overcast day, it's easy to work up a sweat quickly. Jordon and Joel cut out early on us and me, Daddy and baby lingered a bit longer. Once back in the apartment it was time for DD and Paw Paw to head to the office for the day. Jett took a short nap, I did some laundry, cooked some pizzas for lunch and the guys played video games. Jared went down the the clubhouse to use the computers and work out, he likes going down there. The rest of the guys went to check on him.
The guys (and Jett for a while) chilled in the clubhouse to watch the LSU game and use the computers. I started packing and tidying up a bit. After a while, I joined everyone downstairs. Joel and Jett decided to have one last swim and lasted a whole 5mins in the chilly waters before they were yelling, through chattering teeth, for me to go get them towels. We all decided to head upstairs and watch a movie I had rented at Redbox that morning.... Now You See Me...a movie about 5 magicians. It was a pretty good movie. It did rain here and there, pretty good too. We ordered some, not so tasty, take out from a nearby Chinese restaurant and had our last Texas meal. Not being able to watch TV in our downtime was a challenge, but we made up for it by finding some fun songs on the radio and dancing with Jetty. He's always up for a dance party! We stayed up waiting for DD and PawPaw to get back from work as long as we could, then laid down with the baby for bedtime. Not long after we got the baby to sleep DD and PawPaw came home and brought their co-worker/friend Milad with them. Scott was happy to see his friend Milad again, they had met in Corpus Christi. We all enjoyed our late night conversation and even put on our videos from the week to replay our memories there. We all laughed and reminisced. It was bittersweet time, knowing we'd be leaving in the morning.
Sunday, September 29th- We woke up to smiling/sad faces, if there is such a thing. We hung out for a short time, looked at some old photo albums and got ready to head out. When everything was packed in the car we said our tearful goodbyes....we hugged long and tight and promised we'd see each other again soon. It is always so so hard to say goodbye, I hate it. We hit the road and made great time, with only a few stops and got home around 6pm. We were happy to see our home secure and our doggies happy to see us. We were relived to be off the road and back into the comfort of our home. We are so glad we took our trip, we enjoyed every moment having fun with our family, and can only hope and pray we see more fun trips ahead in the near future.
