T is for TEXAS

I find it very fitting that this letter popped up in the nick of time.  The Blair's just came back from a whirlwind trip to Texas and I can blog aboutr it here.  J, Peyton, and I flew out of St. Louis early thrusday morning for a short summer trip to Texas. Peyton is such a good behaved flyer.....I am alway in awe of how well behaved he is. I would honestly expect nothing else from him at this point. My sister and I were well behaved flyers also (and I'd like to think I still am :) I guess I have never understood how parents can not control their kids on a plane...but that is a different story.

We landed and my beautiful Mama was there to pick us up. First on our agenda was to do the VIP tour at Texas Stadium, home to Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys.  I really didn't think that many people would be there on a thursday, but boy was I wrong. Jerry has found a way to make money year round. Pulling up to the stadium, we were all in awe of how big it is.  Our tour guide, "G", informed us that it is the worlds largest indoor stadium, and if the glass walls are removed, it is the world's largest outdoor stadium. 2 superdomes could fit inside of it.  The screen about centerfield is massive and cost 40 million dollars. It was neat to see Jerry's private bat cave box and what a luxary suite looked like. We also got to go into the Cheerleader and player's locker rooms as well as on the field.  Peyton was very impressed and loved seeing it.

Friday, we met my BFF at Hawaiian Fallas water park in The Colony.  I can not even remember the last time I was at a water park, but we had a blast. Hawaiian Falls is not as big as Wet n Wild of our past or Hurricane Harbor, but it was a decent sized park with a very clean atmosphere.  Peyton has hardly any fears, we first went down a slide that you ride in an inner tube.  BFF went first and I followed.  Upon the plunge, I kept my butt up and for some reason pointed my toes.  I giggled the whole way down....it was so fun.  I loved that you were not dumped into a small pool at the end.  We then did the "Half Pipe", which BFF and I shared the double raft.  Again, we giggled like teenagers.  Peyton loved that one.  The lazy river was not as slow moving as others I had been in and the wave pool was fun.  I always remembered the waved being bigger...guess I was just smaller, J, pointed out.  After lunch, we did a few slides that didn't require tubes.   I chose the twisty turny one thinking it would go slower than the straight down one.....wrong.  They both ended up at the bottom at the same time. However, the twisty one was super fast and made breathing difficult with all the water in your face,..,.the expressions on our face afterwards must have been pricelist. That and the techniques of removing your swimsuit from up your behind once getting up.  Dad made his delicious hamburgers and we ended the night playing "Sequence". If you have never played, it is super fun for all ages.

Saturday, we went shopping for new Ranger gear. I got a new hat, J, a new T shirt, and Peyton wanted Ranger batting gloves.  We had a yummy lunch at Prego Pizza, my favorite.  We went swimming in the back yard until we got ready for the Rangers game that night.  My sister and her husband joined my family and my daddy.  It was a sold out game against the Astros (inner league) play.  I was sad that we didn't get the Nolan Ryan t shirt give away, but we had great seats inbetween home and third base.  The game was uneventful until a 7 run 6th inning that had Peyton jumping up and down and cheering.  The Rangers won 9-3 and Peyton loved his nachos and blue cotton candy.  I though he'd fall asleep after swimming and the game, but he was so wired that he wanted to play sequence when we got home.

Sunday, we went to church and Daddy got to stand up and be recognized this Father's day as a grandpa too!  We had a great meal of ribs, baked beans, homemade mac and cheese, pistachio salad, potato salad, and marinated green beans. The Blairs left for the airport stuffed.  We made it safely home to St. Louis and Peyton was just as good on the plane.  We dropped him off at his mom's, had dinner, and picked up Charlie.  This was the first time I really missed Texas. I would love to live there again. I know with my new family that is not in the cards for now, but maybe someday.  I will always be a Texan at heart!