Heading home today...

Well, the day has come to head back to Colorado. I am not really excited about leaving without Craig but I will be glad to get home and sleep in my own bed, have toys for the kids to play with and have our routine back. We have had so much fun here and are really LOVING Texas. I have tons of pictures but forgot to bring the camera download cord so I will have to share when we get home.

Our trip went like this:

Went to Ikea, wanted to buy everything, ate good food and had to get a cinnamon roll and ice cream cone on our way out. Went to dinner at a yummy Mexican food place called Serranos. Really good! Went to Zilker Park in downtown Austin and almost sweated to death since it was so hot. Rode a cute little train around the park and ate shaved ice. The park looks just like Bidwell Park with the river and old trees. Went to Target to buy the kids some new shorts and short sleeved shirts to make sure the didn't die of heat stroke. Ate at North By Northwest which looks just like Sierra Nevada Brewery, had AMAZING food! Drove to San Antonio and went to Sea World. Almost froze to death since it was only 50 something degrees and WINDY! Our kids were the only ones in shorts... guess we didn't get the message about the crazy weather swings here. Luckily I grabbed their blankets and jackets before we left the hotel. Saw the dolphin/acrobat show, saw the Shamu show, tried to get Emma on a ride or two but she was too small. Bummer. Got Emma's face painted. Camera battery went dead. Saw the Clydesdale's. Got to FEED AND PET A DOLPHIN! Which was the highlight of our trip to Sea World! It is definitely worth it to go in the "off season" because it was not crowded and you could do anything without waiting! Went to the aquarium and saw the feeding of the sting rays and fish. Emma talked with the diver in the water and put her hand on the glass and Emma did too to "touch" hands but they were 11 inches apart. The glass was REALLY thick! Told the diver in the water all about Ozzy! Went to Outback for dinner. Yum!

Went to brunch on Sunday, went to Ikea AGAIN! Tried to go to the Austin Annual Kite Festival but it was WAY crowded and we just didn't want to deal with it so we went to the Austin Children's Museum instead and the kids had a really good time! We found a really cute restaurant downtown that was tucked back in an old building. We sat outside and it felt like a summer evening in Denver -- beautiful weather! On Monday we went to Rudy's (a gas station that started serving food in the 80's) for lunch. Weird to eat at a gas station restaurant but really great BBQ! After lunch Craig had to take is co-worker to the Emergency Room for having chest pains! Kids and I went t o the Round Rock Outlets and shopped. They had a great Disney outlet store! Craig picked up the co-worker after class and came back to the hotel. We out for our last dinner together to the Cheesecake Factory and had some more really great food. We got some cheesecake to go to top the night off!

All in all it has been a really, REALLY great trip. We have all gained 25 pounds from eating out every meal for 7 days but man, it was all really good! The whole trip was virtually free since the hotel, car, gas and all our food was paid for by Craig's company. We got into Sea World for free since Craig is still in the Reserves and happened to go to the Children's Museum on a free day. Can't beat that! I am not to excited about traveling alone with the kids again but it should be a much more enjoyable trip this time.

Pictures to come!!