Almost there...

The next leg of our trip took us from Peoria, AZ to Valencia, CA and AUNT KRISTI!!! The boys were so excited to be there and to see Ben, Aly, Elizabeth and Aunt Kristi and Uncle Jason. And why wouldn't they be excited when we get to do such fun things as water parks, Disneyland, playing at the lake and hanging out with great cousins? Here are some pics to document that we did just that...

Water Park


Drew, Aly, Elizabeth enjoying the sun.

The crew minus Nate...actually you can see his orange shorts in the background.

The one and only picture of Nate I got...I actually didn't get many pictures of him not because he didn't want one but because this kid would not stop for anything. He was loving it!

Probably one of my all time favorite pictures from the whole trip...I dub this "Bathing beauty". When Kristi showed this picture to Aly she said, "I didn't know Aunt Tracy was taking my picture. I am a little embarrassed." (all said while nervously giggling) Kristi told her she was adorable and not to worry about it. That the best thing to do when you are embarrassed is to laugh like Grandma Cherry. Truly the best advice you could give anyone...I'm so proud of Kristi and the amazing mother she is.

Disneyland


The only picture I got of me and Nathan...we were riding Autopia and Nathan got to drive...It sure was a bumpy ride!


We went on this rollercoaster ride in TooneTown and Nathan LOVED it...I mean really loved it! He wanted to go on it again and again and again. After the first run, I started to have contractions so bless sweet Nana T's heart, she took Aly and Nate at least two more times.


If you look closely you can see Nana T's arm and the top of Aly's head.


Here they are coming off the ride...It's hard to tell from the pictures, but Nathan really loved it.


And here are the kids running around having a grand ol' time while the adults sat and ate lunch. I wish I could've gotten a picture of all the kids laughing and enjoying the noon show we saw as we ate our lunch. It was a show with a sheriff and deputy putting on a faireytale show with audience participation...It was wonderful!

Calstaic Lake

Sunday Fun

El Paso to Peoria, AZ

So the next leg of our journey took us from El Paso, TX to Peoria, AZ where we stayed with Eddie's sister. The kids were so excited to be in a house that had real toys and two adorable kids to play with them. And I was so happy to have a real bed and good company. We spent two nights there and had a great time. The next day we went to a water park and the kids had a great time.

This was the only picture I could get of Nathan during this visit...but Andrew, well...


Andrew loved having his picture taken...Here is Drew with his cousins Benson and Grace.



He and Grace became fast friends and he wanted to be near her the entire time. Benson was so sweet too and really helped take care of Nate and Drew.


Thank you Sarah for such a wonderful trip...Drew still talks about Grace and Nate still prays for you in every prayer. It's very adorable. "Please bless Sarah and to see her soon".

"Let it begin, let it begin!"

Nothing like a quote from "Bolt" to introduce these pictures...because here begins our long journey from Texas to California where the boys watched a LOT of movies. We drove from Irving, TX to El Paso, TX and stopped for the night. It took us about 13 hours...but the boys were so excited to stay in a hotel at the end of the day that they didn't really complain that much.

We drove through a lot of this...nothingness and ugliness.


And so began the phase of the trip where Nathan wanted nothing to do with the camera...In fact he still doesn't want his picture taken which you'll see documentated in the hospital pictures of baby Maggie.


I love it...Gotta love the desert.


We spent a lot of the day stopping at rest stops so Nathan and myself could go to the bathroom. Our bladders were about on par of each other...a three year old and an eight month pregnant woman. Plus I needed to get out and move around to keep from swelling too much. The boys were just thrilled to get out of the car and enjoy a little "line walking".



When we finally got to El Paso, we stopped in at the hotel and the boys played on the bed while I took a quick rest. Then when I woke up we went and found an IHOP for dinner and went back to the hotel. We all took baths and then off to bed where all three of us were asleep by no later than 7:30.


This about sums up how Nathan and Andrew feel about motels...

Drew's Birthday

So right before we left on our "Summer 2009 Grand Tour" we celebrated Drew's 2nd birthday with Dad.

We had a really low-key dinner of chicken nuggets and french fries...

and cupcakes that the boys helped make and decorate.

Drew loved opening his presents...

and couldn't wait to try out his race track and new cars.

Romantic Get-a-way

So one of the benefits of Eddie teaching at Kaplan is he gets to know some really cool students. Especially the really cool students that have connections to a "hospitality company" and can get you crazy discounts to amazing first class restaruants and hotels in the Dallas metroplex. Eddie and I decided we needed to take advantage of said connections before the class was over and we never saw these people again...So we spent a weekend away from the boys (Thank you a thousand times over S & L) at the fabulous "W" hotel and ate at this crazy delicious Brazilian steakhouse (I don't know how to spell it but I know what it's called). It was wonderful to have a relaxing weekend away before the baby was due.


The evening starts with a self-portrait of course!


Check out the hotel! Towards the middle of the building there was a hole or piece of the building missing...that's where the pool was and the view was amazing. At the very top of the building there is the "Ghost Bar" and we had heard it was the best part about the hotel so we were so excited to go up and see it when we got back from dinner. Of course when we got back it was closed to the public unless you wanted to pay a $150 VIP pass because the New Kids on the Block had rented it out...I was sorely tempted, but we passed.



The softest robes I had ever felt! And you can't see it but in the bathroom it had this really cool rain forest shower-head and awesome samples of their lemon-zest lotion...which you totally know I took home with us. (We also accidentally took home the remote control...I don't know how.)



A room with a view...Which you totally can't see in this photo cause the window is just glaring, but I promise it was great.



Don't mind the gigantic pregnant belly...The food was amazing and I only wished I had had more room to pack more food down.

A mad dash to the finish line

So I've been procrastinating on updating pictures that date back to our "Summer 2009 Grand Tour" till our most recent experience of Maggie's 1 month birthday...So I'm determined that while we are homebound today (Nate is recovering from Strep-throat, Drew is recovering from a virus...not swine flu cause we've all already had that... and myself, yup, I have strep throat too) I will make a mad dash for the finish line and post pictures whether they've been edited or not. I just need to be done with it...so here we go.

One day old

We've survived our first day! Maggie is now a day old and it amazes me that I could already love her this much. She has slept a lot today but that is good cause it means so did I. ;) We get to come home tomorrow morning and then begins the hard work...Thankfully I have the best husband in the world who is willing to do anything to help me and my next-door neighbor from Cali (second mom) coming to stay with us. I'm so blessed.