First Stop: Texas!

So, before Brycen turns 2 in May and suddenly becomes so much more expensive to travel with, we decided to make a few visits with some amazing flight deals I found. Our first stop was to a state neither Bryce nor Brycen have ever been to.

Hard to forget what state you're in when you wake up to this every morning:

Texans are sure proud of that state they live in. If you have ever met a Texan, I'm sure you know what I'm talking about. They are usually loud, opinionated, and you know where they're from before you know their name.

But we sure loved our visit. Very friendly people down there and you can't beat the weather. 70s-80s in January, that is my kind of weather. Almost too hot at times. We stepped on the plane wearing layers and layers of clothes and winter coats and stepped off it wearing shorts, t-shirts, flip flops, and needing the a/c rather than heat on in the car.

You might be fooled if you notice what the Texans are wearing though. My sister-in-law wears her long johns under her clothes from November-March.

While we walked from tree to tree, needing shade from the hot sun during our day visit to Austin, people passed us wearing scarfs, boots, and coats. Weird, indeed.

Picnic in the shade.

The state capital tour was pretty neat. Oh and apparently, some accents in Texas can be pretty thick. While getting information about the tour from the info lady, I guess it's a good thing I understood what she was saying because as we were walking away, Bryce turned to me and asked, "Did you understand a word of what she was saying? Sounded like Chinese to me...". Haha Sounds like my Oregon boy needs to get out alittle more :).

If you stand right under the star and talk, you hear an echo no one else hears. Pretty freaky.

Showing off his mad multi-tasking skills.

The REAL reason we visited Texas.

My brother Josh, and his wife, Laura, got to meet Brycen for the first time (notice how Brycen is exposing more of his skin then the two adults combined to his right?)

New playmates are instant keepers.

We had so much fun having a BBQ at the park and playing games. Josh and Laura also took us to some of their favorite restaurants for dinner and the food was amazing (Bryce and I shared the biggest burrito I have ever seen at a Mexican Restaurant one night. It's true...everything is bigger down there...) . We then changed their lives by introducing them to the amazing game of Chicken Foot, which we played every night after Brycen went to bed :)

Family, food, games, playing outside in January? It was indeed a treat and Brycen has now, officially visited his 25th state.