The Ballard Bunch (minus one, plus three Hawkes) do the Lone Star State! (Also could be titled A WHOLE LOT OF PICTURES!!!)

So, back at the beginning of July, I ventured off with my three little ones to where it all began...at least for me. :) My mom had gotten the grand idea to visit her family, in Ft. Worth, Texas, this summer and I decided that it was time for the kids' first vacation. A little apprehensive, but also quite empowered at the general idea of traveling with three under three and excited about seeing my extended family, I packed up what felt like the whole house, dressed the kids in bright orange and headed to the airport. We were traveling with my mom and two sisters, Monica and Laura. As I said to JC, "If I'm going to travel with the kids, this is the way to do it!" My mom and sisters are so wonderful with my kids. I am so lucky to have family that continues to be close by and so involved in my kids' lives. And that is a completely separate issue from the babysitting perk. :) Anyway, Tuesday morning, July 8th, my dad and JC drove the whole pack of us (flock of us, maybe? Hawkes? funny? I don't know...) to Sky Harbor and turned us loose.


Now, I knew there would be challenges. In fact, I planned on there being lots. For those of you who haven't figured this out yet, I tend to lean to the 'what's the worst thing that could happen' way of thinking far too often for my own good. What I expected was the flight to be difficult. However, I forgot to think about getting through security with the kids...and the strollers...and a million carry-ons (which, ACTUALLY, I am quite thankful for...when you have kids with you, the amount of stuff they allow you to have - - as proportional to the actual need for it all! - - skyrockets!)...with their shoes off...then back on...etc. That was an adventure. Especially with them out of their comfort zone. Furthest they've been from home is...hmm...the other side of Gilbert. Haha, just kidding. They've been to Mesa.


Anyway, the flight was delayed (of course) but the wait went surprisingly well! Partly due to JC sending the portable DVD player with us...Here is Grandma Trudie playing TV stand so the kids can watch 'Signing Time' . . .











So, we finally get on the plane and lo and behold, everything goes pretty well! Ben fell asleep while we were taking off, Bethany found it very fun and James took a little nap too! The flight is about two and a half hours long but with little naps and new backpacks full of new crayons, coloring books, books to read and snacks, plus Grandma and Aunts to hang out with, there wasn't too much commotion! I was compltely prepared, and comfortable with, being "that family" on the airplane making more noise than appropriate, but it didn't happen until landing time! James had become QUITE finished sitting in the seat and started throwing a fit to get down. That lasted for a while, screaming and all, but luckily we seemed to have more sympathetic people around us than annoyed people. Once the plane actually went into landing mode, though, he became a little nervous and settled down. I wish I would have gotten a picture of his FACE! He has this nervous face he makes and it is adorable. So, after everyone around us got to listen to him cry and scream for a while, they got to witness my mom and I having a not-so-subtle laughing fit about James and his nervous face. I'm a good mom.
After the normal shaky-like landing, during which James was nervous, Bethany was enjoying herself thoroughly, laughing about it 'tickling her tummy' and after we slowed down, she yelled "Do it again!!!" Which, provided some comic relief to those sitting around us.


ANYWAY, I do wish I would have gotten pictures of the kids on their first plane ride but alas, such is life. But, I do have way too many from our stay there, so maybe that balances things out.


My Grandpa picked us up from the airport in his HUGE van. We loaded up all our bags, carseats, etc. and tried to convince James to stop screaming again. He was so tired and just so out of his element, the poor guy. The other two just seemed to take it all in. Bethany tends to be a little helper in the way that, if one of the boys is being especially difficult, she takes it back a notch and saves her own fits for another time. :) I'll take what I can get! They all were really very good, considering!


Once in town, Grandpa drove us to my Aunt April's house. She is only a few years older than I am and has young kids . . . so Bethany and James had playmates! Yay! On the way over to her house, Bethany, from way in the back of the van, asks my Grandpa is she can call him "Bobby." I have no idea why, but ever since she found out his name is Bob, she has decided that it is only obvious that he must go by "Bobby." I really have no idea where this came from because she is usually so reserved around people she doesn't know well and she has only met him once that she can remember (another when she was just a baby). Anyway, once in Texas, she took care of that business right away and set the tone. He agreed that she could, indeed, call him Bobby. (As a side note, she was also quite bent on the idea that my grandma - - her name is Mary - - should go by "Bob." She never asked. Grandma didn't get a say, apparently.)


So, here is some evidence of our first days in Texas...

Bethany and Ryan (my little cousin) became quite attached right away. This picture is from the first day we were there. Already chums sharing a bottle of water.

The next day, we headed down the street to the "Grandma Park." My cousins and I named it this when we were little. My grandparents have lived in this house my whole life and there have been many family gatherings there! I have lots and lots of memories here...we lived in Texas until I was twelve, so I guess I sort of did the first part of my 'growing up' there. My mom even lived in that house for a lot of her life. Good stuff.

James walking Hannah, my grandparents' dog, to the park with my Grandma. Bob.

Grandpa Bobby walking Ben around while the kids check out the swings.

James gettin his slide on
Ben and Grandpa Bobby visiting in the shade
Now THIS has a lot of memories connected to it. When I was little, me and all twenty-something cousins I had there would pile on this thing and all the bigger boy-cousins or the uncles would spin us so fast some of us would inevitably fly off into the surrounding grass/broken glass bottles/stickers/fire anthills. :) Ah, the good ol' days. You can see the twenty-something layers of paint peeling off...I bet the bottom-most layers are all lead-based. Great. Haha...just kidding...they had great fun.
Ben, trying out the big-kid equipment
Grandpa Bobby was a saint and went out and bought this swimming pool for the kids and even got it all set up for them in the shadiest spot in the backyard with some chairs for my mom and I to use. So, we had some swimming time! I think this is on the third day we were in town. By then, we were all pretty sleep-deprived and needed something semi-familiar. Swimming is the great equalizer.


Ben, being sleep-deprived
Fun times!
My baby being cute. And my mom and grandma's legs.
I'm not sure, but I think Bethany and James were splashing Ben and then excitedly watching his reaction. They better watch out because I would be willing to bet money that, someday, he will outgrow them.

Here is a shot of part of their backyard. It is so pretty. So many plants and birds...

And, over on the other side of the yard, their garden. This has been here for as long as I can remember. My memories of their backyard consist of the garden, huge climbing trees, honeysuckle and croquet. The one thing that remains for sure is the garden. The honeysuckle and croquet may still be around; I didn't get to do much investigating. But, anyway, in 26 years, I have never been in the garden. I have a hard time letting go of the rules I was supposed to abide by when I was little. Not going in Grandpa's garden was one of them. Also, I still can't seem to bring myself to say "Shut up," "Wuss" or "Geez," watch "The Simpsons" or "Married with Children" or play outside on Sundays for the same reason.
Moving on...here is Grandma playing 'ring around the rosy' with the kids. How cute!
Ben being sleep-deprived again and falling asleep in the highchair
We met my Aunt Cheryl at the mall nearby and let the kids play on the equipment there. I like this picture of James sliding down the Texas flag. I really don't think there is any other state that displays their flag on any available space!



Day four, Friday, Bethany went with my mom and grandma to the store in the afternoon, so the boys and I hung out in the backyard and James decided to make himself useful by helping my grandpa fill his birdfeeders. I think it's worth mentioning that, while we were in Texas, it was over a hundred degrees the whole time with NO RAIN. I totally expected to get some relief from the heat! Hahaha...and while we were there, it STORMED here like EVERY DAY!!! Of course.

James, put to work

He took his duties very seriously.
Concentrating...that birdseed can be tricky...
In the meantime, Ben harrasses the dog.
James decides he's done and throws the scoop back in...

Ben poses for a picture...

James closes everything back up...
Double checks everything...
...and decides there is room for more birdseed.
Grandpa agrees, so they finish up.

(By the way, a week after we got back home, I bought the same bird-feeder! The kids LOVE it! Thanks for the great idea, Grandpa!)


Friday evening, a lot of the family came over to eat and hang out. Grandma (Bob) got out some bubbles! Who doesn't love bubbles???

Bethany, chasing the bubbles...
And some more, with my cousin, Sammy
A typical moment...
Sammy, blowing some bubbles for Ben.

Bethany gives it a try on her own!

Oh yeah, everyone also came over because Grandpa decided we were having ice cream sundaes. Yum! Here are the kids, diving into theirs.
A chocolate-y smile!
Blowing AND chasing the bubbles!
Ryan and James have an awkward moment as they try to establish whose turn it is with the bubble wand...

Looks like they figured it out! Sharing is always a good idea. :)

Of course, Bethany knows Ryan has a soft spot for her and plays on it, getting another turn with the bubble wand. That's my girl.
See what I mean?
James, though quite happy about getting the bubble wand to himself, is a bit concerned about all this hugging going on...every time they hugged, he just stared suspiciously...
Such love!

I remember playing with this when I was little...well, not the SAME one probably, but a similar one. The velcro baseball 'gloves' and ball? Bethany and Ryan, playing catch here...

James and Hannah, both begging for Sammy's half-eaten banana
Sammy, being a sweetheart, gives in to James.
Hannah is less than thrilled...
and proceeds to follow James around for the next five minutes while he eats it.

A happy Ben

Look! My kids are sharing! With each other!!!

More bubbles...
More bubbles...

Wheee!!!!!

Trying to catch some

Running after the bubbles turned into a general act of dancing around the yard...I think she takes after me...
Ben, enjoying a train of sorts.
Bethany, refusing to smile for me...
and then giving in! So beautiful!

Sunday, we had another nice big gathering. My cousin, Brooke, brought her little baby girl! This is Ben and little Elle, playing together.

Here is my cousin, Sean, who decided that he was going to win Bethany over.
I think he did.Aunt Monica! We missed her and Laura this weekend! They were there with us, but spent most of the week at Youth Conference with our cousins, Sean and Mary. But, on Sunday, we got them back! Yay!
Laura and Sean indulging Bethany and Ryan in some sort of jump rope game. Looks like fun to me!

Ring around the rosy!

Laura and Bethany, having a grand ol' time!

Here are my sisters and my cousins, Sean, Mary, Matt and Jordan putting on a little show for us all. We've got some talented people in the family, that is for sure.
Matt and Sean singing a silly song. Good way to end the night, boys.

So, the next morning...it was time. Well, the 'time' started the night before, as we tried to get everything packed back up and prepare for another trip through another airport. I was SO excited. Even though we had a few nights with less sleep than one would hope and some crazy days, we did have a great time being with family and getting out feet wet in this thing called 'family vacations'! BUT, I missed my sweetie so much and was longing for my familiar bed. Though, it is also worth mentioning that the bed I slept in while there had the same bedspread on it that it had when I was little and it was SO comfortable and had so many memories associated with it! And I really need to find out how my Grandma has kept so many things in such good condition! I can't seem to hang on to things like that for more than a few months it seems! Always getting ruined somehow! And she has all this stuff that I remember from when I was Bethany's age! Anyway, that's a conversation I should have with her I suppose...So, yes, though that was incredibly comfortable, I was ready to get home and see JC and get the kids back into their own bedrooms.

It was sad to say goodbye to everyone, as it always is. My grandparents are so much fun and I have SO many memories of growing up with them; I really am grateful they opened up their home to us and spent some time with us. I know that my kids will always remember it, which is nice to know. But after said goodbyes, we found ourselves back in an airport...with very cranky kids! James screamed the whole way through security and Ben and Bethany barely hung in there! I don't blame them. Backpacks off, shoes off, get out of your stroller, walk through the strange tunnel thing, get glared at by grumpy airport workers, shoes back on, backpacks back on, back in the stroller. Ugh. The flight is nothing compared to all of that! Haha...anyway, we did survive and sat down to wait for our plane to arrive...with snacks of course. There is NO waiting period not filled with snacks when traveling with children...

Bethany, trying to contain her excitement to get to go on an airplane again! She loves it!

The flight home went fine, not TOO much crying...Bethany slept the whole way, and when she was awake, laughed at how the bumps (turbulence) 'tickled her tummy.' Then, James had his moment in the spotlight when we were landing. Once we hit the ground, and it got all shaky and loud, he yelled "Go FASTER!!!" It was his turn to get some chuckles out of surrounding passengers. Glad we could provide some entertainment.

All in all, it was a great first trip for our family. We missed JC very much, but work is work. And, honestly, I think the time alone in a quiet house was good for him. Let's be honest, he doesn't get a lot of that these days. :) Thanks to my grandparents, again, for having us. And to my mom. As always, I couldn't do it without you! I was a bit out of my element (and mind) for the first couple of days out of town and having her there made all the difference.

The kids got to create some bonds with extended family and I got to rekindle them. That's worth a little hard work in the getting there and back, I'd say. :)