Whirlwind week!

Summer is officially going by way too quickly! We just returned from a week long tour of Texas, and it is good to be home, but we sure had a blast!

My sweet Carter bug turned 4 on June 17th (the day before we left town). He seems so grown up to me in so many ways now. He is so proud that he is a big boy and tells everyone that will listen that he is 4 and he poops in the potty! If you are extra lucky, he might even show you his underwear. This kid melts my heart!

We started our tour of Texas with a trip to see Mike's grandparents in Abilene. Carter had a blast playing cowboy with Grandad and cried when we left. It is so cool to me that my babies get to know their great grandparents. We had a nice visit. I was so worried about traveling with Carter in underwear, but he did amazingly well. Unfortunately, he threw up all over himself on the way to Abilene, but it is amazing how a car full of barf will change your perspective on the potential for a teetee accident!

We went from Abilene to Houston to see our sweet friends, the Cutrers. It was so nice to have a chance to just catch up and visit and hang out with the kids. They were so gracious and gave up their bed and best towels and fed us some amazing food! The boys played guitar hero while the girls talked Twilight! (I finished it, Eli- I will call you!!!) Here are the kids- Alexis, Carter, Evyn, and Abigail. I could not get Carter to smile for this picture so I picked up the closest thing to me, which happened to be a kitchen knife and waved it around, which explains why Alexis looks terrified!

Me and Eli. If I look sweaty, it is because I am. She is gorgeous, like always!

We went from Houston to Boerne to stay at a "ranch" which was actually more like a 5 star resort. This was the BHBC staff retreat. We had such a good time just getting to hang out with the rest of the ministerial staff and their families and I cannot even begin to describe how beautiful the ranch was. Carter was in little boy heaven! This is the whole group (minus Evyn) on the front porch of the big house.

This is the view as you walk into the big house. There are four bedrooms with bathrooms in each downstairs and the loft had a library, dining area, study, and playroom. Amazing!

There were mules and 4 wheelers that we had a blast exploring on. Evyn slept through about an hour long ride on the mule. Incredible.

Here you see Carter and Jake feeding a bongo from their hand. Luckily I did not hear the story about a bongo goring a man until after he fed this one.

The bongo really liked Evyn. All I could think about was that movie where the lady kept saying "The dingo ate my baby!"

Half of the group went to San Antonio on Monday and the rest of us stayed behind and dug for fossils, fed bongos, rode the mules, swam, and hung out. It was the most restful and fun day that I have had in a long time. Have I mentioned how much fun Carter had?

We left the ranch and went to SeaWorld to celebrate potty training success. Unfortunately, we picked the 104 degree day to go. Other than the sweltering heat we had a fabulous time. Carter was so excited to see Shamu that I thought he would cry. He was very concerned that the killer whale was going to eat the trainer. Luckily this did not happen.

Feeding the dolphins.

The whale did not eat the man. Whew.

Carter and Mike rode the Shamu express two times. He thought he was such big stuff and told me that it went really fast but was not scary.

Then mommy got to ride the farris wheel with Carter. He kissed me at the top. Awww.

After SeaWorld, we headed to San Marcos to see Nana and Grandad for a few days. Carter fed the deer, the guinea pigs, the rats, the dogs, and chased the cats. Again, paradise for a little boy. We had a really nice visit and enjoyed catching up a little bit.

Hanging out watching the deer and sweating profusely.

I was so proud of the kids. They were so well behaved in the car and so sweet and flexible everywhere that we went. I think that I fell a little more in love with all three of my favorite people this week, if that is possible. Carter threw up 5 times within the first hour of our trip home today but rebounded nicely. And all of that was soon forgotten when he accomplished his first level 2 event in a public place while we were stopped for lunch today! Atta boy, Carter!

It is fabulous to be home. I am tackling the mountains of laundry and looking forward to another fun day tomorrow!