The rest of the days in Texas!

We're spending our last half hour or so here in Texas right now, so I thought I'd catch up on the Texas days before heading into the Chicago leg of the trip. We're about ready to leave for the airport.

Thursday and Friday were great days here in New Braunfels with our cousins. Thursday Nicole and I took the 6 kids swimming at the YMCA. They all had fun swimming with each other and showing off how well they swim. Then we went to lunch with Bernie, Esther and Marlon at Pat's Place, a popular New Braunfels restaurant. (yummy food!) Then, while Daniel napped, the other kids (and Nicole and I) spent some time reading and having quiet time. Then, Jacob, Daniel and Bernie and Esther went to the Children's Museum and Nicole and I and the other kids went to see Wall E. By the time we got back, Darren (Nicole's husband) had arrived from the plane from his business trip. Dinner at home (delicious pecan patties that Nicole made and we had never tried before), playing basketball and playing the Wii rounded off the day. When we left their house, we went for ice cream dessert at the Dairy Queen where Marlon worked in high school, until he got fired. (He kept asking for the time off for his speech and debate and boy scouts activities so his boss finally said he could have ALL the time off he needed - permanently!)

Friday (yesterday) was the 4th of July and we had a great day. ALL of us - a huge crowd - spent the day at Schlitterbahn water park going on all the rides. Bernie, Esther, marlon and I and the kids, Nicole and Darren and the kids, Trent and Mark, Uncle Larry (unfortunately Luann, his wife, was home sick) and Jerry (marlon's cousin) and Jacob (Jerry's son). It was a great day. We came back here to the house, where Meme joined us, to bbq chicken and lots of yummy veggies. then we had a nice time talking and visiting until it was time for the fireworks, which we could see nicely from the deck.

This morning Bernie and Esther took all 6 grandkids to the park to play while Darren and Nicole packed up their stuff and we packed up our stuff. We all met for lunch at Rudy's bbq and they left for their drive home and we are about to leave for the airport.

It was wonderful spending so much time with our family in Texas who we don't get to see that often. We MIGHT come back in December if airfare is cheap enough, otherwise we won't see everyone until Harrison's Bar Mitzvah in April when they all come to California.

Now we're off for a week in Chicago.......