Howdy from Texas!

Carina and her Great-Grammy

Mike and Carina and I are visiting my grandparents in Granbury, Texas this week. It's been lots of fun to watch Carina get to know her great grandparents. She was an absolutely wonderful traveler on the plane. Although it wasn't her first time on an airplane, this was a longer flight than the quick one down to Southern California. She's also a lot more mobile than she was before, so we were hoping that we wouldn't be the family on the plane that makes everyone grimace and think, "Oh please don't let them be sitting next to me!" Carina was so busy waving and smiling at people around her that she didn't even seem to notice the plane taking off. She had some snacks and then slept for nearly 2 hours of the 3 and a half hour flight! We can only hope our return flight is just as smooth.

We stopped at a Cracker Barrel for lunch after my grandparents picked us up from the airport. Mike frequented this restaurant during his many business trips to the south, and he was glad that I would now be able to relate to his dining experiences there. We were all starving and enjoyed a huge meal. Carina was so excited about the cheesey hashbrowns and fried apples that she threw her plate on the floor, causing quite a loud crash with chunks of the plate flying in all directions. It's amazing how quiet a noisy restaurant can get! We're pretty sure it was an accident because she does have impeccable table manners for her age (alright you can stop laughing now) but the good people at Cracker Barrel cleaned up the mess quickly and didn't seem too irritated!

We are having a very relaxing time so far. The heat is, well, HOT, but we expected that. Thank goodness for my grandparents lovely air conditioning! Carina has impressed all of us with how well she is handling a new environment. Fortunately my grandparents were very prepared for our visit. They had a crib, high chair, stroller, diapers, wipes, toys, and books all ready and waiting for us to use. It's been the perfect home away from home. We'll keep you posted on the rest of our adventures!

Great Grandad and Carina Bean