Labor Day Weekend Texas trip - 2014

Olivia and I took a trip home over Labor Day weekend and what a wonderful time we had!  We were sorry not to have Mike with us but when we booked the flights we didn't know if he'd be able to take the time off so he held down the fort in Redmond.  He was sorely missed by everyone we saw but we'll make sure we all go together next time!

 

All smiles for our 5:45am departure SEA - IAH

First stop - Granny and Paw Paw's house!  Olivia was a big help in putting the chickens up for the night.

We went to Angel's for lunch and Olivia had some fun building with Legos afterwards . . .

. . . until we all started melting!  We ain't in Redmond anymore, Toto.

Second stop - The Randall house.  Snack time with Avery and Regan.

We went to The University of Texas Golf Club in Steiner Ranch for a football tailgate.  Here are Olivia and Avery in front of Bevo.

 

Hook 'em Horns!  Olivia had her face painted and requested a pink and purple balloon hat.  The hat didn't make it past the first blade of grass it touched when abandoned for the bouncy house.

 

After face painting, balloons, bouncy houses, mac 'n cheese, and cookies we had some crazy ladies on our hands when we got home.  Here are the girls "sleeping" in Olivia's blow up bed.

Third stop - Casa de Damuth.  Olivia, Sonnie (with Julip the very patient cat) and little Piper.  The big girls were heading out to jump on the trampoline in the sprinklers.

We went to a baby shower for one of my best friends, Angie, and the kids help decorate the upstairs.

 

Time for cake!!!

Silly faces with Hayden!

And then sweet hugs :-)

Leigh and Donnie were VERY kind to host Olivia's birthday party at their house on Sunday.  Olivia had such an amazing time with all of her friends, it was heartwarming to see her to joyful.  Pizza time with Weston, Hayden, and Kaya.

Thank you HEB for the fabulous Frozen cake.  Needless to say, we had plenty!

Birthday girl with her birthday cade and sweet little Sonnie eagerly waiting for her piece.

Cake like that gets eaten outside!

Olivia, Mazzy, and tia Rachel.  Look at those sweaty faces from all the running around.

Big hug!

This is Grayson, Olivia's future husband.  Olivia and Grayson were in the same class at their school in Texas and independently told their mothers that they were going to get married.  Once Ramona, Grayson's mom, and I started comparing stories we figured out that they are going to get married "when they are old" and Olivia is going to have a baby and then another baby.  Thier kids' names will be Rock and Rylan and there will be chocolate milk served at the wedding.  Unfortunately, I don't have a great picture of the two of them.

The Stepping Stone School kids - Olivia, Kaya, and Grayson

We were so happy that Ms. Mariah and Ms. Jennifer (and baby Callie) could come to the party.  Ms. Mariah was Olivia's teacher at Stepping Stone and built a foundation for educational success.  We keep in touch with Ms. Mariah, she's the kind of teacher valedictorians thank in their commencement speeches.  Ok, a little dramatic for Preschool but she's AMAZING!

Olivia and Miles who belongs to one of my best friends.  All Miles really wanted was for Olivia to let go of him so he could keep playing.

Tres amigos - Sonnie, Olivia, and Hayden.  Crazy that Olivia is 11 months younger than Sonnie and almost as tall.

Being the birthday girl is tiring!  She slept the whole way from the Damuth's to my parents' house.  She did wake up briefly about 15 minutes before we arrived to announce that she was really uncomfortable.  I don't blame you, lady!

Last stop - back at my parents' house.  Granny got Olivia a little pot of seeds to plant and here they are mixing the "magic earth".  We think we might have added too much water so we'll see what happens but either way Olivia digs her new pair of gardening gloves.  She now outnumbers Mommy in gardening gloves 2 - 0.

Sleeping on the short flight AUS - IAH.  That comfy looking blanket is from Grayson, freshly washed following a Diet Coke incident the night before.

Ready for return flight #2 IAH - SEA.  Olivia gets fruit snacks on take off and landing for the higher altitude flights to help with her ears.  Please excuse my "I don't care, please just get me home" fashion statement.

Mike picked us up from the airport because onsite parking is $26/day at SeaTac - outrageous!!!  Yes, if you think back, that means that he also took us to the airport on Thursday . . . for a 5:45am flight.  #love #loveandsavingmoney

Anyway, Olivia slept all the way to Kohl's in Redmond to pick out sheets for . . .

. . . her new big girl bed!!  What a way to end a great trip!

 

It was awesome being home and very painful to leave.  My Facebook post this morning about sums it up - "Leaving home to go 'home'.  I'm sure it gets easier eventually."  I know we made the right choice in moving but I do still miss everyone terribly.  Anyway, we celebrate the good times while looking onward and upward!