Super Fun Weekend Trip!!

"I was just looking. I promise!!" ~Abby
Daddy and Rory

Rory about to take off running in the hotel room

Rory loved the full-length mirror in the hotel room. We may have to get one for her room at home.

Abby's in front of the mirror, but Rory is in the reflection

Slumber party fun!!

"We're worn out! When are you going to let us go to sleep?"

The girls slept with Mommy and Daddy in the big kind size bed. They look so tiny, but they sure do take up a lot of room for as little as they are. :)

Having fun in the swimming pool with Daddy

Jonathan getting in to go swimming

Jacob swimming with his Daddy. I think this is a sweet picture!!

Jonathan peeking out from the firetruck window

Abby racing down the rollercoaster with Daddy's help

Rory loved jumping on the trampoline! She actually started jumping really high!!

Rory and Abby jumping on the trampoline

Look how high Rory can jump!!!! Abby is holding on tight!

Abby loved riding on the little tricycle that is just her size!

Rory climbing in the middle of a big foam doughnut

Jonathan Merriss and Rory racing with the help of their Daddies

Rory is going fast down the rollercoaster

Abby and Jonathan playing on the big drum! They made beautiful music together!

Jennifer and Jacob watching the fun

Rory chasing after Abby

Jonathan pounding on the drum!

I think that the Dads had as much fun as the kiddos :)

Abby driving the firetruck

Rory loved playing with the gears table

Abby figuring out where best to put the gear to make it work

This weekend, we decided to go to Lubbock with some of our closest friends, the Merriss family, for a fun trip away from home. With four kiddos in tow, we didn't know exactly how well it would work out, but we decided to be brave and ended up having an awesome time!! We went to Lubbock Friday evening after Michael got home from work. After we arrived, we ate at a Japanese place for dinner. It was so much fun to watch the cook prepare our meal right at our table. The kids were all fascinated!! Rory was a little unsure about the whole new experience, but Abby took every bit of it in!! She tried shrimp for the first time and LOVED it!!!! We spent the night in a nice hotel. Jonathan, Abby and Rory took turns running back and forth and chasing one another through the hotel rooms. Then, all four kiddos (Jonathan, Jacob, Abby and Rory) watched VeggieTales and had a bit of a slumber party for a while. They stayed up way past their normal bedtimes, but I think that they really all had so much fun!! The girls got to sleep with Mommy and Daddy in a big king size bed. For as little as they are, it is amazing how much room they take up when they are sleeping. I woke up in the middle of the night and both girls had their heads propped on their Daddy and all four of their little feet propped up on me. This morning, we got up and took the kids swimming in the indoor pool at the hotel. It was the first time that Abby and Rory had been in a big pool. They played in their little pool last summer, but it was nothing compared to the hotel pool. Both girls did pretty good. Rory decided that she does not like getting water splashed anywhere near her. Abby, on the other hand, decided that she was going to take off swimming like her Daddy and John. Michael held her up under her stomach in the water and she started kicking and swinging her arms through the water. It was so fun to watch! She was determined to figure out the whole concept of swimming! She even put her face down in the water all by herself. I think that she is really going to enjoy taking swimming lessons this summer. I think that we may have to persuade Rory that it's really a lot of fun to swim, however. After swimming, we had lunch and then headed to the Lubbock Science Spectrum. They have a room full of discovery toys that kids under 5 yrs. can play with. All four kids had a lot of fun!! Jonathan, Rory and Abby ran from toy to toy checking everything out! Abby and Jonathan even had a great time playing the big drum together!! By the time that we headed home this afternoon, all of the kids (and adults for that matter) were worn out from having such a good time. It was an awesome weekend getaway and we look forward to taking a trip with the Merriss family again soon!!