Dallas vacation 19 June - 3 July 2008

After 13 months of non-stop Kiwi life, we packed up and headed for warmer shores for 5 delicious weeks of much-needed vacation. My family in Texas was waiting with open arms and a blissfully empty agenda.

We ended up sleeping for the better part of the first week, probably a combination of exhaustion and the time change. The most important thing for me was that I got to see my family again and spend time with my nieces and nephew!

Sam and Abby and I did make-up one night (although the eye make-up removal part wasn't nearly as fun), and the girls even got their "highlights" done simultaneously with their Aja. My sister got bit by the snake we rescued from her neighbor's garage (fortunately not poisonous), and my nephew and I got to ride the Howlin' Tornado at the Great Wolf Lodge. I screamed like a little girl, tee hee.

One day we took our dog Ben across the alley to play on the neighbor's property, and we found a dried-up pond that was crawling with baby frogs. The kids went crazy trying to catch them!

Sam found out that the trickiest part was actually keeping the frogs from jumping out of her hands.

I introduced Nick to the mesquite tree that Sarah and I used to climb all the time when we were kids.

Abby had so much find catching frogs that she had to run home and tell Nana and Papa right away.

And last but not least, my devilishly handsome father. I'll miss you, Mom and Dad! thanks for a wonderful vacation!