TEXAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yee-haw!!!!!!

We recently returned from an amazing trip to Houston, Texas. And we LOVED every. minute. of. it!

That even includes the semi-miserable sniffles and head colds we were battling while we were there. 

Matt had a week off and since it was mid-March we wanted to get away to somewhere warm and Texas was right in our "tropical" price range. Well, that and his awesome sister lives there that we've never visited. 

Let me tell you, vacations when Matt can come and go with me and the kids are SAWEET! :)

Lots of iPhone pics to follow...next post will be a few from our normal camera. 

Welcome to Houston! Of course Dev passed out as we were landing on our 2nd flight. 

 Totally zoned out. 

Grandma Clark flew in the same time, so we all went back to the McArthurs together. Rachel (Matt's sis) and her family drove down from Phoenix to spend the week too! 

We met our newest Clark niece for the first time. Sweet Lydia! She's soooo sweet and adorable!

 We were lucky and stayed in Julia and Madisen's suite...they were too cute.

 Played a little kinect, which is NOT a good idea for this pregnant mama. Hurdles are not my thing. :)

But it was really fun. 

The view for our first morning....ahhh we never wanted to leave!

 Every day was a pool day!
It was a little chilly to swim some days, but we loved sitting in the sun every single day!

So many boys!!! So much fun!

 Luke-not the safest driver. Devin-even worse.

 Madisen, Dev, Logan

 Spencer and Devin

It was so nice to just veg all week! 

 And we ate outside many times. The weather was just perfect for us!

 One day we went out to this Spanish Farmers Market. It was lots of fun! There was lots of yummy produce  and things.

 Grandpa showed up the day after we arrived. 

He won the kids over with tiny bananas. 

 Across the street was a Mexican bakery that was fun too.

I was shocked at how big Houston actually is....didn't know it was the 4th largest city in America. 

But I did not enjoy all the traffic!

Notice all the trucks too? 

That's not something you see every day in Cleveland. :)

 Next up was Brazo's Bend (I think). An alligator park.

The alligators were right there, no fence, nothing. FREAKY! 

Luke is passed out in that stroller, almost falling out of it. 

We spent most of the time in the hot tub that was nice and warm.

Please excuse Big Bertha there in the stripes. 

Dev was just too cute in his little towel. 

 Next outing was to Blue Bell Creamery! 

We watched them make ice cream at this huge factory, it was lots of fun. 

 Hold still! Sorry for the blurr.

 At the end we all got a scoop...and each additional scoop was only $1...so mean (pregnant) aunt Mary got a couple more scoops and all the children cried (well, not literally).

 It was YUMMY!!!!

 For some reason Luke thinks it's cool to make this face in many photos. 

But Matt kept making this dumb face in most of the photos on this trip too, so he must learn it from him.

Logan is one of the funniest kids I've ever met.

 Nerf wars.

 There is not a Clark trip without daily walks, jogs or bike rides AND of course a soccer game and other sports.

 And drills lead by Grandpa. :)

 They live near a dead end (for now) and it was really nice to let the kids run and play.

 Games with cool Uncle Matt.

Notice Dev's big shirt? Dad dressed him almost every day and he often came out with Luke's clothes on. When I'd ask Matt why he put Luke's clothes on him, he'd say, "Well, Devin said it was his!" 

Haha nice. Believe a 2-yr-old.

 Dying to get out in the pool! They waited patiently for the cover to come off.

Saturday night Matt and I dropped Matt's parents off at the airport and on our way back we stopped at Old Town Spring. It was a fun little street with antique shops and lots of fried food.

 We tried a fried Snickers...not worth $5! But an experience!

Soaking up every minute of being outside on our last night! 

24 week big belly

 Julia and Lydia

 Farewell warm and beautiful Houston.
We will return!

On our first flight Matt sat with the boys (isn't he the best?) and I sat with an old man. 

How relaxing. :)

Next post will be filled with more Texas photos....stay tuned!