Bear with me on these vacation posts. They really are more for my benefit than yours. My memory is not very long and I will forget if I don't recap in my "journal"(blog). So we left Rockwall heading out toward Abilene. It was so much quicker than I thought it would be. We had no trouble finding our hotel, we got unloaded and headed to Chad & Stephanie's where supper was waiting for us. It was delicious!! After that we just visited and let the kiddos play. It was a little awkward at first (keep in mind Steph and I are great friends-soul sistas-but our hubbies are just aquainted) and I worried in vain that it might not go well. In no time at all it was late and we needed to get back to our hotel yet we were all reluctant to give up our visiting time.

The next day we planned a trip to Frontier Texas museum and it was great! It was so kid friendly. Very hands on and interactive. I believe kids can learn so much more when all their senses are involved! Especially the young ones. It ends with a movie in a round room where everyone is on a turning stool. You actually get to spin your stool around to look at all of the things going on up above your head. I don't think my kids will ever forget that all Indians were not friendly as they recall the scene where a mom and daughter are in their cabin and as you spin your stool around there is a painted war-faced Indian in every window. Scary. It also culminates in a fire because the oil lamp gets dropped in fright. Yes, it is crystalized in my brain as well. The whole museum gave me a refresher in appreciating the hard lives the first settlers lived. Sometimes it gets romaticized a bit. It was anything but romantic.

We then met Chad for lunch at the famous Harold's BBQ. It is such a local legend, greatly recommended. Erik loved it. The kids and I not so much. The memory of the reflux I experienced from the sauce lingers with me still. After that we all went back to our own place so Steph could get naps in for her young 'uns and I could prepare for her Pampered Chef party later that evening. I decided to make hot pizza dip and Tiramusu brownies. They were both a big hit and her party was fun. It was a nice and casual party so I answered alot of questions about PC and the business. It is such a great company to work for and at least two of the ladies there are more than a little interested in more info. I love that I work for a direct sales company that is not a rip-off and no one ever walks away from it wishing they hadn't done it or in debt. They really are too good to be true. (Sales pitch over now). I just mention that to say that I have worked sales jobs in the past and they were less than honorable. I once worked for a car dealership where I had two weeks of almost $1000 in commission checks. They were amazed to receive my two weeks notice. My integrity was worth more to me than that amount of money. I could not work there and keep it.

While we were partying, the men folk went out for Mexican food and then to our hotel to swim with ALL 7 kids. We love you darling hubbies!! After the party, Steph and I had a girl's night out. We went out for a late supper and then hung out at starbucks. I tried Spiced Chai Latte. I liked it alot. Sort of similar to pumpkin pie. We caught up on our girl talk. She drove me by Highland Church of Christ so I could be a bit of a stalker. It looks quite enormous and I would love to have been able to sit in on a service under Preacher Mike but it wasn't meant to be this trip. This is actually not where Stephanie goes to church either, so I probably would have gone with her anyway.

We left the following day for Fredericksburg. Very neat city. Totally full of tourist shops. We bought some excellent jerky. We ate at a German restaurant (Erik was delighted), went through the Pacific War Museum and walked too far for too long on stomachs that were way too full. Not to full for ice cream though. I was tired and whiney. Mostly just very hot and miserable because I had eaten like a pig at a trough at the German Restaurant.

I did not want to stay overnight there. I can only stand so much shopping. Not very much either. Too many choices overstimulate my brain and bring out the consumer in me which then breeds discontent in my heart. I start longing for a home more like a Southern Living magazine spread and forget how much I love my home. Skipping the shopping is just easier.

We left out of there to San Antonio where we had big plans and dreams of exploration. Unfortunately the whole town had not a single hotel room available for our weary heads and so we had to skip it all together. In hindsight, I am glad. They dye the river green for St. Patrick's Day and it would have been WALL TO WALL!! I would have been very grumpy. We called my firend Karri and let her know we would be along earlier than planned and made sure that was OK. This cut our trip short by 2-3 days which was another blessing. We will go to San Antonio another time when we have planned more and certainly booked a hotel! ( : We did not find a hotel until Columbus which is really close to Houston and very far from San Antonio.

The next morning we left for Karri's and we got there a little before noon. It was so good to see her again. I will recap that visit more tomorrow in the final installment of vacation.