That is where I have been this past week, which is pretty funny, since it is also where Kevin has been and still is :).  Sometimes things just work out better than you could have planned them . . .

You see, 4 months ago I was really wanting to get away, and so we decided that the kids and I should go to my sister Wendy's house in Austin.  Fast forward to 3 weeks ago when we found out that Kevin was going to be training in Texas, only an hour or so away from where I would be staying!  Not only that, but my trip was nicely tucked away inside of his trip, with a few days on either side.  What an amazing blessing!  In fact, we couldn't have planned it better if we had done it on purpose.  But now for my trip . . .

It all started at 2 am last Tuesday.  I loaded the car, and then carefully transfered the kids to their car-seats, and tucked them in with pillows and blankets.  By 2:20 am I was on the road to the Jacksonville Airport – a 2 hour drive.  Aside from being a little tired, the drive was perfect.  I listened to some great mp3S that Kevin had put together for me before he left.  Lily, the silly girl that she is, was so excited about leaving on our trip, never went back to sleep.  She kept asking if we were at the airport yet . . . ahh, Lily.

We made it to the airport and the flights went great.  On the last leg of the trip, Lily fell asleep, but Derek was wide awake.  I had him situated between my legs so he couldn't escape, and tried to stay awake, but the early morning was finally catching up with me.  Before I knew it, we were there and on our way to my sister's house :).

Highlights of out trip were:

• Lily and her cousin Logan – they are only 3 months apart and they were like twins :).  At one point they decided to trade outfits, and I kept mixing them up.  Watching them dance, play pretend, watch Backyardigans, fight with lightsabers, and do just about everything together.  They played so well  and were so much fun to watch!!

• Watching American Idol with my niece Brooke.  We had so much fun analyzing the performances and guessing who would go home.
• Hanging out with my sister, whom I love and look up to so much!  She is amazing!  (And somehow she made it an entire week without me getting a picture of her – pure talent!!)
• Watching Derek run wild – although it was sure exhausting chasing him to make sure he didn't break himself or anything else, it was so fun to watch him explore.  He also finally got the chance to learn how to go down stairs, which was an adventure all in itself.  Luckily I was there to catch him the few times he fell.

• Having my nephew Buddy chase Derek around, play with him, watch out for him, and be the big brother Derek will never have.

• Seeing how my niece Megan has grown up just as gorgeous and sweet as she was as a little 7 year old girl back when I lived with them.
• Talking to Brooke and remembering what she was like at 4 years old, and all the things we used to do together.

• Watching the heard of deer that kept coming to the neighbor's yard.
• Taking pictures of my kids in the Texas blue bonnets, even though Lily was very upset that the dew on the flowers was getting her wet.

• Having Kevin get 2 days off work to come and play with us.  I still can't believe how blessed we were!
• Going to  Buddy's Pinewood Derby and watching Kevin act like a little boy, keeping track of the stats and having a blast.

• Going to Zilker Park at Barton Springs and riding the train that went along the river.  It was so fun to watch Lily and Logan get excited at everything we saw as we rode the train, which was almost as much fun as watching Derek trying to climb the slide at the park.  (And, although she was surrounded by fun toys, watching Lily find a patch of sand to dig in.)

• Eating delicious Tex-Mex at Chuy's, and watching Lily and Logan each carry their booster seat all the way to our table by themselves.  Oh, and Kevin ordering the "Big as Your Face Burrito."
• Eating amazing barbecue at Rudy's – sooo good!!!  And having some random person bring a bubble machine that the kids got to play in out on the lawn while we ate outside.
• Finding a pretty new bathing suit at Old Navy.
• Getting "lost" with Kevin in downtown Austin.  We weren't exactly lost, since we knew how to get home, we just couldn't find the place we were looking for :).
• Finding a Whole Foods Market while we were driving in downtown, and buying some yummy desserts, including Lily's amazing cupcake :).
• Seeing the beautiful Texas Capital building.
• Going to church at Wendy's ward, which – no offense to anyone – is the most friendly ward I have ever attended.  The people there are so sincerely kind, and have been that way every time I have visited.
• Watching the kids play with the Power Wheels Jeep – especially when Lily tried to drive it the first time and I had to hold onto it so it wouldn't crash into the garage door :).

• Seeing the gorgeous hill country of Texas every time I looked out the window.  (Isn't the mist on the hills just gorgeous?)

• Having all of my flights leave and arrive on time – no repeats of last summer's adventure.

It was a wonderful vacation, and it left me recharged and ready to tackle my life once again.