Journey

I love to travel, but I hate the packing.  I inevitably save it for the last minute, and am far too controlling to allow my sweet husband to help much (what if--gasp!--he forgot something? OR PUT IT IN THE WRONG PLACE?).  So what generally happens is that I pack the night before, laying things all out on the bed methodically and by category, while trying to distract myself from the drudgery with DVDs (in this case, The West Wing), and bemoaning the fact that there is no way to pack *completely* the night before because you'll still need toiletries in the morning.  Sigh.

But then, the next day, as if by magic, I regain perspective.  We set our for the airport and the journey begins!  We're off to see loved ones/visit a new place/shake off the familiar! 

The stress of the preparation is rewarded with the likes of this...

Look, Mama!  Beach!

We arrived in Corpus Christi, TX after a lengthy day of travel with a 20 month old, and then spent the next few days soaking up the sun, frolicking in the pool, eating real TX BBQ as often as possible, and spending time with those who we get to see far too infrequently. 

Spinning cousins in computer chairs...

As it turns out, little man has great taste:

Just watch as I polish off this plate of BBQ like a pro.

Poppa (whose birthday the trip was in honor of), and Nana

"He touched you!"  Translation:  "Joshua put his hand on my face!"

Time with loved ones always goes far too fast.  We were so excited, though, to have the opportunity to pop over to Houston when our time in Corpus came to an end so that we could love on these sweet besties:

Erin & Cole, with new addition Miss Adelyn Sophia

These wonderful friends were kind enough to cart us around all over the place so that we could get our fill of the sorts of delicacies not readily available in Chicago.  Things like...

Spring Creek.  Oh good grief, this is such good food.  I'm salivating.

Los Cucos!  Best guac dip/salsa around...

And Joshua is a fan!  This baby ate a lot of chicken, rice, and beans.

And snowcones!  Can't get a good one of those in Illinois.

Joshua gets confused and thinks mommy is the snowcone.

Plus this little Addie pumpkin, who I could just eat with a spoon...

I'll give you a few other highlights, just for kicks.

"I'm so cozy in this towel, Auntie Manda!"

Not so sure...

"You're crowding me, Addie!"

A lil' Harry Potter watchin', just for grins.

Palm trees!

Kindred spirits

And so we return to our home-for-now, the land of Blago, blizzards, and plenty of overcast skies...albeit with a little extra vitamin D in our systems, happy tummies, and wonderful memories to sustain us.  Life is good.