Beltman Family News: Texas Vacation, Part 1

We are back from vacation and getting settled back into our routine! The trip to Texas was absolutely amazing. We saw some really neat things, spent 90% of our time outside, swam in the pool almost every day, and had some really good quality time with my mom. Since we did so much and took so many pictures (323 to be exact) I'm going to split the posts up so I don't clog up the blog trying to get everything posted!

I was trying to be overly prepared for our flights as it was the first time on a plane for both kids and I really didn't want to be "those parents" with screaming kids. Sophia had her own seat, but knowing that I would want to nurse Collin throughout the flight we didn't buy him a ticket. We got up long before the sun on Monday and drove to the Steffen's so Ryan could every so graciously take us to the airport. Security went really well despite needing almost the entire conveyor belt just for our things (two carseats, three backpacks, and three tubs of other items). We found our gate and let the kids dig in to the breakfast bag I had brought along knowing we wouldn't want to eat before we arrived at the airport. A few granola bars, a bathroom trip, and a few laps around the seating and it was time to board! We found our seats easily, got Sophia's carseat strapped in, and were off. The kids both did amazingly well, sleeping for most of our 2 hour flight. Once we were in Houston we took a quick break to grab some real breakfast and then let the kids run through the terminal to burn off some energy. We had a two hour layover, but neither one got bored. We then boarded again for our roughly one hour flight down to McAllen. Again, the kids did great, although they just quietly played or watched out the window this time.

Once we were in McAllen my mom and Aunt Amy met us and we were off to get our luggage, which was already waiting for us. Since it was lunchtime we went to grab a quick bite to eat at McDonalds and my mom thought ahead to find one with a play area! The kids ate a bit and played and the grown ups got a chance to talk! Another aunt and uncle also met us there, which was a nice treat.

After lunch it was a short trip to our trailer in Harlingen (only a few down from mom) so we could settle in. We spent the afternoon swimming and lounging, and enjoyed our first patio meal! We took some time in the evening to tentatively plan out our itinerary so we made sure to see everything we were hoping to, but also find some down time.

Day 1:
On Tuesday morning we went to a local citrus grove to pick up fresh oranges. I had never had a farm fresh orange before and they were AMAZING!! Its a good thing we don't normally have navel oranges at home because they will never taste the same again. We also headed to a neighboring town to see the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan De Valle. We aren't Catholic, but had heard it was beautiful inside so we wanted to check it out. The inside was gorgeous, but even more impressive for us were the stations of the cross they had set up all around the grounds. It was really a moving portrayal and I was really happy to hear just how much Sophia could tell us of the story. If you are ever in the area, definitely check it out.

After the Basilica we headed back to the park for some more swimming and relaxation.