We just got back from our big trip for the year.  (Not a single photo was taken, not sure why.) Brandon wanted to take a review course for the final board exam next month and it was in Dallas. Fortunately our best friends, the Ramages, moved about 2 1/2 hours from Dallas last summer and we haven't seen them since then. The kids (especially Christopher) were very excited about getting to see their friends William and Reagan and I couldn't wait to see Tiffany again. After a couple days at the lake, we loaded up the morning after Memorial Day and headed west. We didn't have a destination set, but on the drive we realized that our friends who also moved recently, the Newells were in Shreveport and we could stop and see them and maybe have dinner together. We gave them a call and they told us to just come over for dinner and spend the night. The kids were so happy to see each other they ran all around the house and the backyard playing and chasing each other. After dinner and baths we put the kids to bed and it was so nice to be able to catch up with Adam and Melissa without any interruptions. The next morning we went swimming and then hit the road after lunch. We got to Dallas that afternoon and swam some more. (The kids have been working really hard at swimming without any floats and this was the day that it clicked for both kids.) After dinner out we all headed to bed.

Thursday morning Brandon was gone early to start his review course and the kids and I went back to the pool for a little while. Tiffany and the kids were going to be driving through around lunch so we were trying to kill time until they arrive. I wish so bad that I had a video camera for when they did arrive and the kids saw each other, it was priceless!! These are kids who spend almost every single day together for two years and haven't seen each other in 11 months. It was awesome!! Reagan was just a baby the last time we saw her and now she is running around chasing the big kids around. We loaded up the van and hit the road. The kids talked and laughed and screamed the entire car ride and then ran around doing the same, just louder. Tiffany and I just looked at each other and wondered how in the world we were going to survive the next 4 days with these crazy kids.

We did and we had so much fun! It was great seeing them again and watching the kids play and laugh together. We took trips to Target, played on the slip and slide (Tiff and I joined in too!), went to church, watched movies, had Nerf gun fights, played Wii, and ate lots of food. Next thing we know, Brandon shows up and the next morning we have to head home. Christopher even told Brandon, "Daddy, you got here too late and missed all the fun!" It was so cute! (And true!) We loaded up and hit the road Monday morning and drove 550 miles before stopping for the night. We did more swimming and then everyone crashed hard for the night. The next day we swam some more and then headed to Montgomery and stayed with Mimi and Papa John for the night. The kids were so happy to see them and to be closer to home. My mom brought Brick into town Wednesday morning and we were home by lunch time.

We traveled about 2000 miles and had a wonderful time and the kids were absolutely amazing travelers!!! Brandon and I were talking about it last night and laughed because we realized either the kids were better at riding in the car OR our expectations were so low that anything was better than we thought it was going to be! Regardless, it was a great trip and I am so glad that we did it!