Last Day in Houston

One last day to play! Joseph and I started the day with a run along the waterway of the Woodlands. It's such a pretty spot and was quiet and calm on a Monday morning. It started out cool and lovely but was hot hot hot by the end—summer in Texas already!

We came back to the hotel to swim and relax in the sun before packing up and checking out. 

Then it was back into the city for the much anticipated American Girl store (Caroline's #1 request during our trip). I have to admit that I was pretty excited too, and it was a huge success. Those stores are just so awesome and so huge and filled with the cutest displays of every doll and all their darling little accessories. Cares and I had so much fun just wandering around looking at the little soccer balls and flutes and darling pairs of shoes for the dolls.

With it being her birthday 2 weeks later her one desire was the new doll of the year Isabel. We got it for her, got the doll's ears pierced at the salon (seriously the cutest idea ever!) and then saved her until Cares' actual birthday. It was such a fun outing for us (the girls :) and reminded me again how lucky I am to have daughters and know full well their excitement and love for things like American Girl dolls. I know I was purely obsessed when I was young and I cherished mine for years and years (and still have them!)

We wanted to hit a Lego store for Bentley too so after much searching on maps and Google on our phones we found one in a seriously gigantic mall. We had already ordered Bentley's big set for his birthday but he just loved looking at all the options and seeing so many cool sets right before his eyes. Neil and Ruth Ann were so cute to just hang out and enjoy watching our kids get so excited about their current passions.

We only had until mid-day to hang out Monday before our flight so after the Lego store it was off to the airport and saying good-bye to the amazing Nanny and Grandpa. It felt harder to leave them this time knowing we won't see them for a full year+ when they are done with their mission. But we loved knowing more about where they are and how they are settled in and what life is like for them as they serve. We love them dearly and felt really spoiled to get to spend 5 days with them doing everything together. We haven't had that continual one on one time with them since our Phoenix days and even then we had lots of other siblings who joined them whenever they came to stay with us.

One friend of mine commented that she visited her grandparents when they were on a mission and it was an awesome memory for her throughout her life. I am hoping that will be the same for our Bentley and Caroline, and have a lasting impression on them. I am just sad we didn't have enough points to redeem for 6 plane tickets so we could have brought Olivia and Luke—I know Ruth Ann and Neil miss them so much too and they are totally adorable! But it was an awesome trip with big kids who are independent and amazing little travelers too. We were out and about a ton and that would have been so hard with our smaller ones. Plus, we just snuggled up in the LeBaron's spacious Crown Vic and rode all around Houston in one car (3 in front, 3 in back!) And my parents and Cec and Chad took great care of our littles while we were away and that was a huge relief.

Just waiting to board our flight back to Salt Lake.

Love these easy, obedient and fun kids and our awesome adventure in Houston!