Time for Texas!!!! Go Hogs Go!!!!

Finally, The Hogs are playing in Texas again!  

We made our first visit to Texas to watch the hogs play A & M in 2009, and came again in 2010.  The Hogs played one more year in 2011 but we didn't come because I had just had Alex the same month the Hog came was scheduled.  Than they didn't renew the contract.  Finally they announced earlier this year that the Hogs were playing A&M again this fall in Texas!

Texas vs A&M - Saturday September 27th in Dallas TX

We have been excited since June!

My dad, Mike, and his cousin, Nathan Lamb (who is from Texas) all got tickets to the game in June and were excited about the trip.  Of course the families tagged along so we could get a vacation out of it too.  Below is our vacation in pictures.

I made dairy free cookies for Alex for the trip

We headed out Friday at noon.  We picked up Max from school early.

We stopped by Chick Fila for lunch and we laughed over how much sauce they gave us!

Max passed out within an hour of being on the road

not Alex!

Alex had an emergency potty break on the way. 

back on the road again, time for good behavior prizes!!!

Alex looked for animals with his new binoculars 

 Finally we arrived to the hotel!!  We arrived around 6:30pm.  We shared a room with my mom and dad.

It was my dad's 65th Birthday so we headed to our favorite restaurant in Dallas, Papacitos, which is a lively Mexican restaurant.

The boys not only got to see tortillas being made but the lady gave them one to KEEP!  Oh they were proud of their little balls of dough.  They kept them entertained back at the table.

Good news - they had a band.  They played the best music
Bad news - they had a band...they were so LOUD! haha

Best part of the night - they played Ring of Fire by Johnny Cash.  It was funny to hear that version for sure.  

We brought Shelby lynn's to Dallas

Saturday morning we recieved this text.  Shannon, Nathan, Haleigh, and Layton were on their way to meet us!!!!

 We were extremely excited Nathan, Shannon and the kids could meet up with us in Texas.  It was fun.  To say the kids were excited would be an understatement.  They arrived and we headed to Chicke Fila for lunch.  The guys headed to the game and the women and kids headed to Frisco TX for some fun.

playing playdough in the room

Wearing our Hog gear with pride in Texas

me and Mike ready for the game

isn't this a sweet picture of Alex and Haleigh holding hands?!

The 4 kids eating at Chick Fila - in our plain site.  We had to keep an eye on these 4!

The gang together again!

WooPigSooie

The boys taking over the backseat on the way to Jump Zone

Alex and his current best friend

JUMP ZONE!!!!!
We drove a short drive over to Frisco to go to Jump Zone.  We had buy one get one free.  My mom was sweet and paid for all 4 kids.  Me and Shannon bounced for Free!  What better entertainment could you want?

got plenty of texts from the men...they were doing fine with us of course

Thank you Shannon for my $1 socks

My Dad at the stadium

Mike and his cousin Nate

Me and Shannon dominated at Jump Zone.  Those kids didn't have a chance

 After Jump Zone we headed back to the hotel.  We attempted to swim, it was a disaster.  It was way too cold!  Alex napped with my mom.  Me and Shannon took the other 3 kids to play some Basketball and soccer at the hotel, and watched the game in their room.

Game over - we lost - sad face
A fun part of the trip was after the game when we met up with the guys.  Women and kids in one car, men in the other.  We had a funny drive following them to another Mexican restaurant.  We passed a scary haunted house in a scary mall in a not the best of neighborhoods, but we arrived safe.  The meal was delicious.  We all sat together which was fun.  We shared funny stories about the day and the kids behaved.  Pretty fun night.

Mike's Birthday was Friday so we took this opportunity to embarrass him

 After Dinner we drove home.  For some reason the men followed us.  We took a WAY long way through the mall parking lot.  Made a complete circle.  Got not one but 2 phone calls from the guys asking us if we knew where we were going.  Made only 1 u turn - but finally made it back in Dallas traffic to our hotel.


The Next Morning, Sunday, we all ate breakfast together.  Breakfast was fun because it was an all you can eat buffet and it was included in our room charge.  We all took advantage of that!!  After breakfast we played more basketball and soccer and than said our goodbyes.  NAthan and Shannon and the kids headed to the Baseball game, and we headed to Bass Pro shop.

Grandma and Grandpa at Bass Pro

The boys drove lots of boats at Bass Pro

I got attached by a shark

 Next up - the mall.  My parents shopped and me and Mike took the kids to Legoland.  It's exactly what it sounds like.  A big amusement park all about legos.  The boys were in heaven.

Dairy free hummas and pretzels at legoland.  Made Alex's day!

Got this picture from Shannon.  They were having fun at the game!!!

 Sunday afternoon we rested, left the kids with Grandma and Grandpa, and me and Mike went to IKEA!!!  We were excited but exhausted.  I am so glad we went.  It was a fun little date.

Sunday night - MAX LOST A TOOTH!!!!  I was so excited.  Of course we were concerned that the tooth fairy wouldn't find us in Dallas, but when Max woke up on Monday he had $2 under his pillow!  It was so cool the tooth fairy found us ok. We were all so excited for Max.

Monday morning we said our goodbyes to Grandma and Grandpa.  We headed to the zoo and they headed to Little Rock.

Dallas Zoo

Flamingos

 The children's zoo was pretty amazing.  I was impressed.

Riding horses.  Took a little convincing for Alex, but he did it!

There was an underground tunnel we took turns in with the boys.  It was very unique.

Feeding the giraffes.  our favorite part of the zoo.  So cool.  BOTH boys did a good job.

Mike, being the cool dad he is, took his shoes off and went in the river with the boys.  They sure enjoyed getting their feet wet on a hot day.

Max with his Ali gator drink with a real Aligator!

Best shot we could get of those stubborn penguins.  It was fun to see them swimming though!

Goodbye Dallas

 Hello Arkansas!!!!

What a fun filled trip!!!  can't wait til next year.